Pathein

The 3-year-old is built for races between 1m1f and 1m2f, the kind of distances where he has won 1 of his 4 attempts (25%), considerably better than his overall record of 1 win from 6 races. He was a decent purchase at the sales and carries decent bloodlines through his dam; he is out of the first crop of St Mark's Basilica, the stallion who won four consecutive top-level races for Aidan O'Brien in 2021. Trainer Ed Dunlop, based at Newmarket, saw potential in him early on and holds the view that he is a horse to watch as the season progresses. The yard has enjoyed a strong season, with 39 winners already sent out.

Recent form tells a mixed story. His most recent race came just a day ago, in which he finished sixth, continuing a pattern of inconsistency. Before that, he picked up placed finishes (third and third again), a fifth, and a nineteenth—the kind of scattered results that suggest he has not yet found his feet beyond that single Class 2 victory. Jockey Robert Havlin, who was aboard at Doncaster, noted he got away with wet ground that day and still carries some physical weakness, though his attitude and temperament are solid. Whether Pathein can convert that one-win potential into something more consistent remains to be seen, but Dunlop's early confidence suggests there is still a story left to tell.