Mistymal

That one win came at Hereford in October 2024, and it remains the only time Mistymal has reached the winner's enclosure. It was also, pointedly, the last time he won — over 20 months ago now. Since then, he has gone six races without adding to his tally, though his recent form does show he's still competing — a pair of third-place finishes in his last six runs suggests he hasn't lost the plot entirely.

Tim Vaughan gave a revealing insight into what makes Mistymal tick when he described him as an ex-Irish point-to-pointer who wants fast, dry ground and a big, galloping track to show his best. That's a specific set of requirements, and when the conditions aren't right — as they weren't at Fakenham, where he reportedly found it all too tight — he simply doesn't fire. Hereford, where he won, is exactly the kind of wide, sweeping track Vaughan had in mind, which makes that win feel less like a fluke and more like Mistymal landing in exactly the right place at the right time.

Most of his races have been in Class 5 company — the bread-and-butter level of British racing — where he has won 1 from 9, or just over 1 in 9 at that level. Jockey Alan Johns has ridden him in 11 of his 14 races and shares that single victory. Vaughan's yard has sent out 11 winners this season, so there's clearly ability in the string. Whether Mistymal can add to his tally likely depends on finding that combination of fast ground and a track that suits him. When those boxes are ticked, he's shown he can deliver.