No More Bolero

Those last six races read 1-6-6-2-1-3, which is the kind of sequence that catches the eye. Sandwiched between a couple of disappointing sixth-place finishes are two wins and a second, which is the sort of up-and-down pattern you often see from a horse that needs things to fall right — the right conditions, the right race, the right day. When it clicks, it clearly clicks. When it doesn't, it can disappear into the pack.

The yard behind the horse is James Owen's operation in Newmarket, one of British racing's great training centres, and they are having a productive season with 205 winners already on the board. That kind of output signals a busy, well-organised stable that knows how to place a horse to its advantage. Most of No More Bolero's races have come at Class 5 level — the lower tier of the racing ladder — where it has won just 1 from 11 at that grade. That is only 9%, or roughly 1 in every 11 attempts at that level, which is a modest return but not unusual for a horse competing consistently rather than being saved for specific targets.

One thing worth noting is the partnership with jockey Brendan Powell, who has ridden the horse five times without a win between them. That is not a damning record by itself, but neither of the two recent victories came with Powell aboard, which makes you wonder whether a change of pilot has been part of the upturn in form. At seven years old and clearly in a purple patch right now, No More Bolero is the kind of horse that rewards those paying attention to the small details.