Mr Lightside

Both of its wins came in a tight window in the summer of 2024 — first at Redcar in late June, then at Nottingham less than a fortnight later. That kind of back-to-back winning is exactly what trainers hope for when a horse suddenly clicks into form, and for a brief moment it looked like Mr Lightside might be turning a corner. But that Nottingham win, now 21 months ago, remains the last time it has beaten the field. Six races since, and nothing better than a third place to show for it.

The recent run of form makes for difficult reading: finishing 10th, 6th, 14th, 7th, 5th, and 3rd in its last six races — most recent last — paints a picture of a horse that has been gradually working its way back toward the front without quite getting there. The third place most recently is the most encouraging sign in a while, but there is clearly something yet to unlock.

Part of the challenge may simply be the level at which Mr Lightside has been asked to compete. In five races against the very best company — the top tier of British racing — it has yet to win a single one. That is not a disgrace; plenty of horses never win at that level at all. But it does suggest that when the field fills with the classiest horses around, Mr Lightside tends to find a few too good.

The trainer behind it all is Michael Appleby, who operates out of Oakham in Rutland and is having a productive season — 73 winners sent out already, which is a serious number for a yard outside the traditional powerhouses. Appleby is known for keeping horses busy and placing them shrewdly, so the fact that Mr Lightside raced just eight days ago and is considered currently active suggests the team still believes there is a race to be won somewhere on the horizon.