Rokuni

What makes Rokuni worth watching isn't his raw numbers but where and how he races best. Over shorter distances between five and six and a half furlongs, he has won 1 of his 12 races at that trip (roughly 1 in 12), which is significantly stronger than his overall form. In Class 5 races — the lower tier of British racing — he has won 1 of 11 (about 1 in 11), suggesting he is a horse who performs better when conditions suit and company is right. His recent six races have yielded no winners but do show some moments of promise: tenth, tenth, third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh, with that third place the standout.

Christian Howarth, his most regular jockey, has ridden him seven times without a win, which hints at the straightforward nature of his challenge — this is simply a horse operating at his ceiling. Wallis's yard at Ardleigh has had seven winners this season, so there is solid form in the stable, but Rokuni appears to be a genuine journeyman, the kind of horse that reliably fills a race card but is unlikely to deliver moments that stay with you. Still, given his slight edge at shorter distances and in lower-class company, those the yard will continue to place him carefully and hope that the next window of opportunity — perhaps at Brighton again — brings a second win.