Skukuza

The cracks in his record start to make sense when you look closer. He absolutely thrives on normal ground, winning three of nine races when conditions are standard, but falters on faster surfaces. More tellingly, he has won nothing in his last six races, yet his recent performances suggest something is shifting. On his day, with Ryan Moore in the saddle, he is a different horse entirely — the pair have combined for two wins from five races together, a 40 per cent win rate that towers above his overall record. Last June at The Curragh, 15 months ago, he delivered exactly what his talent promised, winning decisively. The trainer, Ed Dunlop, believed he had finally found his feet and even hinted at a tilt at the Hunt Cup, one of the season's most competitive contests.

The concern is that Skukuza has become a horse of near-misses since. He struggles badly in top-class company, winning none of his three races at the highest level, and it has been a long time since he tasted victory. Yet with Ryan Moore as his regular partner and Dunlop's Newmarket yard in excellent form this season, the pieces are there. He was active as recently as a day ago, which means another opportunity is coming soon. Sometimes a horse just needs the right conditions and the right jockey to deliver what he has always promised — Skukuza might finally be ready to prove his quality is more than a flash in the pan.