Orne

The two wins both came in the latter half of 2023. The first arrived at Kempton Park on 22 September, followed three weeks later by something rather more valuable — a Class 1 victory at Newmarket on 4 November. That Newmarket win was significant; at that level, one in eight runners crosses the line first, so Orne was genuinely competitive among the better horses. Since then, however, nothing. The horse has not won in 34 months, though recent form shows glimpses of consistency: a third-place finish just under two weeks ago, another third in the race before that. The last six runs read 7-6-7-3-13-3, which is uneven but not entirely hopeless.

Antony Brittain's Warthill yard in North Yorkshire has had a strong season with 23 winners, and the horse remains in regular work — it raced just yesterday. What is curious, though, is that Cam Hardie, who rides Orne most often, has never won aboard the horse from seven attempts. Whether that partnership suits Orne is unclear, but it is a fact that stands out when the horse's best results are examined. For a horse that needs the right distance and the right conditions to deliver, consistency in the saddle might matter more than most.