Monotone

The most encouraging sign in Monotone's record is what happens when it races over shorter distances. At five to six-and-a-half furlongs, it has won 1 from 6 races — that's roughly 1 in every 6 attempts at that trip, which is where that Cork win came from. By contrast, its record elsewhere suggests a horse that can drift out of contention when asked to do more. Sprint distances seem to bring out the best in it, and any punter keeping an eye on this horse would do well to watch for races that match that profile.

Monotone is trained by Antony Brittain at Warthill in North Yorkshire, a yard that has sent out 22 winners this season and clearly knows how to get horses fit and ready. Brittain is an experienced northern trainer who has been placing horses in the right races for years, so the fact that Monotone has raced 14 times suggests the team is patient and looking for the right opportunity rather than forcing the issue. With the horse having raced just one day ago, it is clearly fit and in an active campaign — the question is whether the right race is just around the corner.

Overall, Monotone's career figures — 1 win and 4 places from 14 outings — reflect a horse that is competitive enough to place but has so far found winners hard to come by. For a 4-year-old, there is still time, and with the right conditions and the right trip, a second win is not out of the question. Whether it comes before the gap stretches to three years is the interesting question hanging over every run.