Pacific Mission

The problem is timing. That breakthrough win at Kempton now sits thirteen months in the past, and the recent form reads as a catalogue of near-misses and disappointments. In the last six races, Pacific Mission has finished second twice and third once, which tells you the horse belongs in competitive races rather than easy ones — but it also means victory has become elusive when it matters most. Andrew Balding's Kingsclere yard, one of the most prolific operations in Britain with 202 winners this season, clearly believes there is enough here to keep running, and that continued faith from a trainer of Balding's caliber suggests Pacific Mission has not run its race yet. The horse is still only 3 years old and racing regularly, which means there is room for improvement and a genuine chance that a return to winning form is just around the corner.