Palazzo Persico

What marks him out is his consistency on ground suited to his running style. On fast, dry ground, Palazzo Persico wins 1 in every 5 races he runs (2 wins from 10), and on the opposite end of the spectrum—slow, muddy ground—he's only marginally less effective, winning roughly 1 in every 4 or 5 races (2 wins from 9). Many horses have a clear preference; this one is rare in being genuinely dangerous on both extremes, which gives his trainer Tony Carroll, based at Cropthorne in Worcestershire, genuine options when placing him. Carroll's yard sent out 136 winners this season, suggesting a trainer running a tight ship with competitive horses.

However, Palazzo Persico has a notable blind spot: he has never won a race classified as Class 5, the lower grades, running 16 times without success at that level. This is unusual and worth watching—it may tell you something about where he truly belongs, or it could simply reflect bad luck. Most of his career wins have come elsewhere. Regular jockey Hector Crouch partners him one in five times they team up, a partnership that has yielded a single win from five races together. The horse was active as recently as yesterday, so he is in the yard and being kept fresh. With two wins in his last six races, Palazzo Persico remains a horse to track for opportune moments, particularly when the ground plays to his strengths.