Marche d'Aligre

The horse performs noticeably better over longer distances. At two miles and beyond, he has won 1 of his 6 races (roughly 17 percent) — a respectable win rate that suggests he is built for stamina. By contrast, his record at shorter distances tells a different story. In three races at the highest level (Class 1 or 2), he has drawn a blank, which hints that step up in class has been beyond him. He runs for trainer Jamie Snowden's Lambourn yard, which has been a prolific operation this season with 82 winners to its name. Gavin Sheehan, his most frequent partner in the saddle, has partnered him eight times, winning once — a 12 percent win rate together that is marginally better than the horse's overall form.

The recent record is sobering. In his last six races, Marche d'Aligre has managed just one top-3 finish, which came second. The rest have been out of the placings. At five years old, with nearly two years since his last win and a modest record overall, he is a horse that has shown just enough ability to keep racing but not enough to suggest a breakthrough is imminent.