Pacific Mission

What stands out is Pacific Mission's preference for distances between seven furlongs and a mile. Run at that range, the horse has won 1 of 3 races, a 33% win rate that towers above its overall 14% record. That winning distance clearly suits the horse better than the longer or shorter trips it has faced elsewhere. Trained by Andrew Balding at Kingsclere in Hampshire, Pacific Mission is part of a yard that has already sent out 202 winners this season — a sign the operation knows how to find the right race for each horse. The gap of 13 months since that August win at Kempton suggests the trainer has been patient, probably waiting for a suitable opportunity rather than forcing the horse into unsuitable races. With a recent second place just six runs ago, Pacific Mission is clearly still capable. If Balding can get the horse back to conditions and distances that suit it best, a second win may not be far away.