Northern Express

This horse has a taste for the top tier. Three of its six career victories have come in Class 2 races — the kind that attract serious runners — including wins at Ascot, York, and Thirsk. Most recently, Northern Express won at York just two months ago, which speaks to a horse that still has plenty to offer at eight years old. The yard, trained by Michael Dods at Piercebridge, has had a productive season with 43 winners, and Northern Express sits among the better performers there.

There is one glaring strength: on fast, dry ground, this horse comes alive. On such conditions, it wins roughly 1 in every 5 races, compared to its overall rate of 1 in 7. That's a meaningful edge, and it explains why the yard have kept running it — when the ground dries out, it has a genuine chance. Paul Mulrennan, the horse's most frequent partner, has ridden it in 30 races and won 4 of them. Recent form shows inconsistency — three of the last six outings produced places, but there have also been unplaced runs, suggesting the horse is being aimed at specific conditions or targets rather than slung in everywhere. Having raced just a day ago, Northern Express is clearly still active and still being campaigned seriously.