Nine Nine Nine

Those wins also came on wet or muddy ground, and that pattern holds up across its career. On soft or heavy ground, Nine Nine Nine has won 2 from 15 races — roughly 1 in every 7 or 8 — compared to a much thinner record elsewhere. For a horse racing at Class 5, the most accessible level of competition in Britain, any kind of edge matters, and wet ground at Leicester appears to be its sweet spot. When the skies open and the ground gets soft, this horse is worth a second look.

The last Leicester win came in March 2024, now 25 months ago, and the six races since have produced no wins. That said, the recent form reads 6-2-4-2-7-2 — four placings from six runs, which tells you this is a horse still competing honestly and finishing in the frame more often than not. It is not dropping out the back; it is just not quite getting its nose in front. Raced as recently as yesterday, Nine Nine Nine is clearly in good enough shape to keep competing regularly.

Trainer Sarah-Jayne Davies operates out of Leominster in Herefordshire, a smaller yard that has sent out five winners this season — a solid return. Regular jockey Tabitha Worsley has yet to break through for a win in six rides together, but the placing record suggests the partnership is not far away on the right day. If the rain comes and the Leicester fixture list obliges, the formula that has worked twice before could yet work again.