Proud Nation

What's telling is that the winning post came at York, a track that clearly suits this horse. Winning one race is good; winning it in a competitive Class 2 contest is better still. Since that September victory, Proud Nation has raced five more times without adding to the tally, though the form reads respectably enough — a second place, two thirds, and a fifth — suggesting the horse remains capable but has found the step up tougher than that first win implied.

The Fahey yard at Musley Bank, run by Richard and Peter Fahey, has sent out 23 winners this season, so Proud Nation is in a stable with genuine firepower. That September success will have told the team plenty about what works with this horse, and at three years old, there is still development to come. Eleven months without a second win is a long drought, but with recent placings in the mix, Proud Nation looks more like a horse waiting for the right opportunity than one in decline.