Moon Sniper

The most telling detail is the recent run of races. Over the last six starts, Moon Sniper has finished outside the first two each time, with a best effort of third place on two occasions. This is a horse treading water, showing enough competitive spirit to pick up places but not quite having what it takes to win. At Class 4 level — the busier, more competitive brackets of racing — Moon Sniper has managed nothing in ten attempts. It performs measurably better at distances between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, where it has won once from nine races, suggesting longer trips suit it more than shorter ones.

Lewis Edmunds, the jockey who has ridden Moon Sniper most often, has partnered the horse for fourteen races but landed the sole win, a win rate of roughly 7 per cent. Jessica Bedi's Kirklevington yard has been quiet this season, sending out just two winners so far. Moon Sniper raced just a day ago and remains active, which means another opportunity could be imminent. Whether it can finally rediscover the Newcastle form from twelve months back remains to be seen.