Northern Soldier

Trained by Ed De Giles out of a yard in Ledbury, Herefordshire, Northern Soldier at least has active support behind it — it raced just yesterday, which tells you the team still believe there is something worth finding in this horse. De Giles has sent out eight winners already this season, so the stable clearly knows how to get a horse ready to win. The question is whether Northern Soldier can tap into that.

At this point, the honest assessment is that Northern Soldier has not shown enough to suggest a breakthrough is imminent. Finishing sixth might have offered some encouragement early on, but back-to-back tenth-place finishes suggest the horse is struggling rather than building. Sometimes a horse simply needs more time, a different trip, or a particular type of ground to suddenly click — but until it does, Northern Soldier remains one to watch rather than one to back.