Rock Armour

The real concern is the trajectory since that breakthrough win. Rock Armour's last six races tell the story of a horse stuck in a rut. Recent form reads third, sixth, fifth — nothing better than third place in half a year. When stepped up to the tougher Class 5 races, the horse has won none from 12 attempts, suggesting it may be competing beyond its level in those heavier contests. Distance appears to suit best between a mile and three furlongs and a mile and four furlongs, where Rock Armour has won 1 from 16 races — still thin, but fractionally better than its overall rate.

David Thompson's yard at Bolam in County Durham has had a productive season with 9 winners sent out, so there is competent horsemanship in place. Yet Rock Armour remains a puzzle: resilient enough to keep racing, not quite sharp enough to reproduce that single victory or find the form that might suggest another is coming. The horse is active and recently raced just a day ago, so the yard are persisting. Whether persistence will deliver another moment in the winner's circle remains to be seen.