Shades Of May

The pattern is clear enough: Shades Of May thrives on normal ground and at middle distances between 1m1f and 1m2f, where it has won a quarter of its races. More telling still is its record at Southwell, where it has won 2 of 5 attempts. For a horse that wins only 1 in every 7 races in typical Class 6 company, that is a genuine speciality. Mark Usher's yard at Upper Lambourn has been productive this season with 14 winners, and this horse appears to be one of the more reliable types coming out of there right now.

The one puzzle is George Bass, who has been its regular pilot with seven rides but no victories. Since the horse has won twice in its last six outings, and Bass rode it in at least one of those recent races, it seems the partnership simply has not quite clicked—though that is no reflection on either party. For now, Shades Of May looks like a horse worth following when it runs on normal ground at Southwell or similar middle-distance courses. The recent wins suggest it has found its level, and at its current trajectory, another victory is not out of reach.