Scottish Anthem

The record reads 0 wins and 5 places from 15 races, and while that blank winning column is hard to ignore, the placed finishes show a horse that is rarely out of the picture entirely. The recent run of form — finishing third, fourth, ninth, seventh, fifth, and third in its last six outings — paints a picture of a horse that finds its level and competes honestly within it, even if the winner's enclosure remains elusive. At seven years old, Scottish Anthem is in the prime of its racing life, experienced enough to know the job but still young enough to find improvement.

The horse is trained by Stuart Edmunds, based at Stewkley in Buckinghamshire, and the yard is clearly in good health this season — 24 winners already sent out, which is a solid return. Edmunds runs a tight operation, and the fact that Scottish Anthem continues to be aimed at Class 2 races suggests genuine belief in what the horse is capable of, even without a win on the board. You don't keep pitching a horse into top-level company unless you think it belongs there.

Raced just one day ago, Scottish Anthem is as active as they come. Whether that relentless schedule eventually produces a breakthrough is the question. Some horses are serial placers — honest, consistent, good enough to be competitive but never quite able to grab a race by the scruff of the neck. Others suddenly click and the wins start coming. At this point, Scottish Anthem is firmly in the first category, but with a trainer in form and a horse clearly fit and race-ready, it would be brave to rule out a change of fortune entirely.