The one blip in that sequence is the eighth-place finish, which stands out against everything else on the form card. Without knowing exactly what happened that day, it looks like an outlier rather than a pattern, and the horse bounced straight back into the placings on its next run.
Saxophonist is trained by David O'Meara at Upper Helmsley in North Yorkshire, and that is a yard worth paying attention to. O'Meara's team have sent out 101 winners already this season — that is a serious operation, the kind of stable that knows how to place a horse and get it ready to win. A horse trained there that keeps finishing second and third is one the yard clearly believes in; they would not keep running it if they thought it had nothing to offer. Having raced just one day ago, Saxophonist is clearly in a busy spell, and the signs point to a yard that is actively searching for the right opportunity to get this horse off the mark.
The breakthrough has not come yet, but the pieces are not far off fitting together.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Galloping |
2 | 2 thirds | 21 Oct | 0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 24 Apr | 0% |
| Hamilton Park Sharp |
1 | 1 third | 27 May | 0% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 29 Aug | 0% |
| Ripon Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 18 Jun | 0% |