Look at the last six races and you see a horse that has found a level of consistency it could not manage earlier: two runner-up finishes sandwiched around a pair of fourth places, and a third before that. The sequence reads 4-2-4-2-8-3 going backwards, which means that ugly eighth-place effort is now a few runs behind it. Since then, Long Shot has been competitive in almost every race, finishing second twice in its last six outings. Second place pays nothing in prize money for the owner, but it does suggest the horse is not out of its depth — it is simply waiting for the right day.
The horse raced just yesterday, which means it is as fit and race-sharp as it can be. That is worth noting. Horses in this kind of consistent, active form sometimes find their moment when you least expect it.
It is trained by Tim Easterby at Great Habton in North Yorkshire, and that is no small thing. Easterby's yard has sent out 128 winners already this season — a number that reflects a large, well-organised operation that knows how to keep horses running and ready. A stable producing that volume of winners is one that tends to place its horses in races they can be competitive in. Long Shot has been competitive. The win, if it comes, will not shock anyone who has been paying attention.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redcar Galloping |
5 | 1 second, 1 third, 3 other | 26 May | 0% |
| Beverley Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 17 Sep | 0% |
| Catterick Bridge Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 22 Jun | 0% |
| Ripon Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 6 Jul | 0% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 6 Sep | 0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 14 Oct | 0% |