Reigning Profit

What makes Reigning Profit interesting is how specific his strengths are. He absolutely thrives on normal ground — winning 4 of 16 races on those conditions, a 25 percent win rate that towers above his overall figures. Put him on fast, dry ground or in the soft mud, and he becomes just another mid-field horse. Trainer Ruth Carr, based in Stillington in North Yorkshire, has kept him ticking over and winning consistently. He noted that he won three races last year and came within a neck of victory in a heritage race at Ascot in July — a significant moment for a horse of his level. His regular partner in the saddle, James Sullivan, has won 7 races from 49 outings together, slightly ahead of the horse's general win rate.

His recent form tells a story of a horse trying hard but not quite landing the knockout blow. Over his last six races, he has produced a second-place finish followed by five unsuccessful attempts, which explains why he remains at Class 4 level, where he has won only 2 of 27 races. That said, he raced just one day ago, so he is clearly still competing regularly. For a seven-year-old, Reigning Profit is doing what good horses of his type do: finding the races and conditions that suit him, winning just enough to justify his existence, and giving his yard and his jockey something reliable to work with. He may never win a top-level race, but at Ripon on normal ground, he is a genuine threat.