Luan

The most striking thing about Luan is what it does at the longer distances. Over 1 mile 6 furlongs to 2 miles, it has won two of three races — a 67 per cent success rate that stands out sharply against its overall record of 3 wins from 10. This is the kind of clue that matters: Luan is not a brilliant horse everywhere, but it is genuinely dangerous when given the ground and the trip it likes. Wolverhampton in particular has been good to it. Two wins from four races at that track is the mark of a course specialist, and with the latest win coming just days ago, Luan is clearly ready to run again soon.

What makes this horse interesting is the consistency of its recent improvement. It has also picked up four places from ten races, meaning it finishes in the money regularly. The yard — Nick Scholfield's operation at Lambourn — has had a productive season with 22 winners so far, and Luan is plainly one of the better prospects in that stable right now. The one note of caution is that it has not won in Class 5 company (the higher-grade races): zero wins from three attempts at that level. It thrives at lower grades, which is where most of its races have come. But on current form, with a recent win in hand and a clear preference for longer distances, Luan looks a horse worth following.