Spear Fir

The recent form is not encouraging. Over the last six races, Spear Fir has finished tenth, eleventh, seventh, seventh, eighth, and second. That second-place finish came most recently and is a bright spot, but the runs either side of it tell the fuller story: eighth before, tenth after. The horse pairs most often with jockey Phil Dennis, who has ridden it six times without a win. Trainer Simon Whitaker, based at Scarcroft in West Yorkshire, has managed four winners from the yard this season, but Spear Fir is not one of them.

At this stage of its career—seven years old, competing in the lowest-grade races available, and without a win in eleven attempts—Spear Fir appears to be a horse that tries but does not quite have the pace or talent to cross the line first. The occasional place finish suggests it is not entirely outclassed, but the long drought without a victory, combined with inconsistent recent form and that punishing eleventh-place finish, points to a horse that is firmly in the veteran ranks and may have found its level: a reliable soldier that fills out cards and keeps racing but is unlikely to add a win to its record.