Orionis

William Haggas, training from his Newmarket yard, has built the horse carefully. Orionis found the winner's circle for the first time at Ripon last June, and has since added three more victories. The pattern of its form shows real promise: two wins in the last six races, with placings dotted through the defeats to suggest the horse is competitive most times it runs. Distance appears crucial. Over the longer ground—between 1 mile 3 furlongs and 1 mile 4 furlongs—Orionis is genuinely dangerous, winning 3 of 5 races (60%) at that trip. Stretch it out, and the horse finds another gear.

Recent form tells an interesting story. A win just over two months ago at Goodwood was followed by a patchy spell, but Orionis raced as recently as yesterday, which means the horse is in active work and evidently still trusted by the yard. The fact that it competed at Class 5 level, winning one of three attempts there, suggests Haggas knows where to place his runner for the best chance of success. This is a horse that rewards patience and precise ride selection—get both right, and Orionis will give you value.