Rikki Tiki Tavi

That single win came at Thirsk on the 2nd of August 2025, and it matters because Thirsk is a proper test of a young horse — a tight, turning track that rewards those with a bit of nous and tactical speed. Winning there as a three-year-old is worth something. The problem is what has happened since: the recent form reads 10th, 11th, and 13th in the three runs that followed, which is a steep drop-off from a horse that had previously finished second and fourth before that Thirsk breakthrough. Those finishing positions suggest the horse has either been finding life considerably tougher in its subsequent races, or it simply hasn't been running its best.

Kevin Ryan, the Hambleton-based trainer, is no stranger to producing winners — his yard has sent out 45 winners already this season, which is the kind of output that marks a genuinely busy and well-organised operation in the north of England. When a yard is firing at that rate, they tend to know what a horse is capable of and where to place it to best effect. The fact that Rikki Tiki Tavi raced just one day ago means Ryan clearly hasn't given up on finding the right opportunity, and that recent activity is worth watching.

The honest summary is this: one win, a couple of encouraging placed efforts earlier on, and then three races where the horse has finished well back in the field. Whether that August win at Thirsk was a glimpse of genuine ability finally clicking into place, or a fortunate moment on the right day, is a question the next few races should start to answer.