Mirabad

What makes Mirabad particularly compelling is how well-suited he is to specific conditions. On wet or slightly soft ground, he has won all three of his races — a perfect record — and over distances between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, he has won 2 of 3, a 67% rate. That combination of conditions isn't rare in a British winter, which means Mirabad is regularly racing in his sweet spot. His jockey Tristan Durrell noted after one run that Mirabad can pull keenly early on, but the fences in his chasing career have actually helped settle him — backing him off the pace and letting him find a rhythm. That's a useful trait in a horse: the obstacles calming him down rather than unsettling him.

Skelton was weighing up a run in the Arkle at Cheltenham — one of jump racing's most prestigious novice chasing prizes — but was honest that he didn't want to show up simply to finish fifth or sixth in a field of strong contenders. Instead, Mirabad went to Aintree, and he won there just this week. That's a meaningful decision made well: rather than chasing prestige for its own sake, the team picked the right race for the right horse and came away with a win.

His recent form reads 1––2––3-1 going back through his last six races: two wins, a second, a third, and two unplaced efforts. He races mostly at Class 4 level, one or two steps below the very top, and wins 40% of those races — 2 from 5. The picture you get is of a horse who is honest, consistent, and improving as a chaser, trained by a yard that clearly has a plan for him and the patience to execute it.