Northern Soldier

Trained by Ed de Giles out of Ledbury in Herefordshire, Northern Soldier is at least in a yard that knows how to get horses winning. De Giles has sent out 8 winners already this season, so the ability is clearly there within the team — Northern Soldier just hasn't tapped into it yet. The horse raced as recently as yesterday, so the yard are clearly keeping faith and giving it every opportunity to find its feet.

With a record of zero wins and zero places from three races, there is nothing yet to point to as a sign of promise. But three races is still a small sample for a young horse, and yards like De Giles's don't run horses without reason. Whether Northern Soldier eventually rewards that patience is the question worth watching.