Mertoun

The numbers back this up. Across his ten-race career, Mertoun has won four and finished in the top 3 another five times, a win rate of roughly 2 wins in every 5 races. That is a genuinely strong record for a young horse still learning his trade. What makes it more impressive is his dominance at Windsor, where he has won 2 of his 3 races there. Some horses suit certain tracks — the ground, the shape of the course, the pace — and Mertoun clearly feels at home on the Berkshire circuit.

Jane Chapple-Hyam, his trainer at Dalham in Suffolk, has built a reputation for placing her horses precisely and bringing them along at the right pace. His yard has sent out 24 winners already this season, and Mertoun is clearly one of his key performers right now. The fact that he raced just yesterday and won suggests either a quick turnaround between fixtures or a double entry — either way, he is being kept busy, which the the yard clearly feel suits him. For a 3-year-old hitting peak form, that kind of schedule can be exactly what he needs.