Run Wild Fred

What makes that November 2021 win at Navan both the highlight and the whole story of his career is that he has never managed to repeat it. Three attempts at the very top level of racing in Britain and Ireland have yielded nothing, which suggests the ceiling on his ability may have been reached some time ago. His most frequent partner, jockey Jack Kennedy, has ridden him five times without a win between them — though it would be unfair to read too much into that given the horse's overall record.

His recent form makes for sobering reading. In his last six races, he has managed one third-place finish and otherwise failed to get into the picture at all. He has now been off the track for around 11 months, which is a significant absence, especially for a horse of his age. Returns from long breaks can go either way — occasionally a freshened-up horse rediscovers something — but at 11, with one career win stretching back over four years, the realistic hope is probably for a decent placing rather than a return to the winner's enclosure. Trainer Raymond Hurley's yard has sent out just 2 winners this season, so this is not a powerhouse operation throwing resources at a short-priced favourite. Run Wild Fred is, by any honest measure, a horse running at the outer edges of his career — game enough to keep lining up, but with his best day almost certainly already behind him.