Oman

The horse came to Tony Carroll's Worcestershire yard as a bit of a reclamation project. Ralph Beckett, who trained him on the Flat, saw promise but felt Oman had a quirky temperament that might improve with a move to hurdles. That gamble has paid off in patches. Over middle distances — specifically 1m1f to 1m2f — Oman shows his best form, winning 2 of 6 races at those trips (a respectable 33% win rate), suggesting he has found his ideal ground. When asked to race at the top level in Class 4 contests, though, he struggles badly: just 1 win from 13 attempts tells you he belongs in easier company.

Zak Wheatley has been his most regular jockey, and they have clicked reasonably well when circumstances align — 1 win from 6 rides together gives them a 17% partnership win rate, better than Oman's overall record. Still, his recent form paints a picture of a horse in the doldrums: his last six races have yielded a fifth, sixth, ninth, seventh, fourth, and that solitary win. With Carroll's yard sending out 136 winners this season, there is clearly quality in the stable, which makes Oman's pedestrian record all the more telling. He is the sort of runner who will keep getting his chances — loyal, professional, willing — but probably never more than a supporting player.