Luckie Devil

The horse runs in Class 4 races, which are middle-of-the-road affairs in racing terms — not the bottom rung, but well away from the top. In five attempts at that level, Luckie Devil has not won once. The recent form chart shows a steady stream of races without success: a ninth-place finish two races back, and before that a blank stretch where the horse did not race. This is the kind of record that suggests a horse with some ability but lacking the spark or consistency needed to win. At six years old, Luckie Devil has had ample opportunity to prove itself, and the pattern is now fairly set. For a horse that started racing to win, the absence of a winner's circle visit after this many tries is a significant statement.

Nicky Richards trains from Greystoke in Cumbria, and the yard is clearly in good form this season with 39 winners to its name. That suggests competent horsemanship and a team capable of preparing horses to win. Yet even from a successful yard, not every horse delivers, and Luckie Devil appears to be one of those that, despite consistent opportunities, has not yet repaid the faith shown in it.