Londoner

His last win came at Lingfield Park just eight weeks ago, and his form figures since then read 9-5-1-3-12-3 — a mixed bag, but with plenty of close finishes threaded through it. He raced just yesterday, which means Daniel and Claire Kubler, who train him at their Lambourn yard, are keeping him busy and clearly believe there is more to come. The Kublers have sent out 34 winners already this season, so this is a yard in form, and they are on record saying there are more nice races in Londoner — which, coming from a trainer, tends to mean they are targeting something specific rather than just filling a card.

The most interesting number in his profile is this: on normal ground, he has won 3 from 14 races, a win rate of 21 percent — roughly 1 in every 5. That is a meaningful jump from his overall 1-in-13 figure and suggests the ground really does matter for him. He also does his best work over a mile and three furlongs to a mile and four, where he has won 2 of his 17 attempts at those trips. It is a relatively modest return, but it tells you where he is most likely to be competitive.

One flag worth noting: at Class 2 level — the second tier of British racing — he has run 11 times without winning. That is not a disaster, but it does suggest the step up in class stretches him. Given that the Kublers have spoken about targeting valuable races and the horse is clearly being placed ambitiously, the puzzle for anyone following him is whether conditions align before the class level gets the better of him. Londoner is not a star, but he is a live contender on his day, and with a trainer in good form and a horse reportedly going well at home, that is often enough to keep things interesting.