Spirit of Applause

What keeps Spirit of Applause interesting is his recent consistency. His last six runs read 5-5-4-2-2-10, which means he has been finishing in the frame — second, third, fourth or fifth — three times in that stretch. That shows he still has the speed and determination to run competitively, even if the wins have dried up. He performs noticeably better in sprints under five furlongs, where he has won one from four races (a 25 percent win rate), suggesting he suits being asked for a quick burst rather than a long grind. Sean Kirrane, his most regular jockey, has ridden him to three wins from twenty-one races together, a 14 percent partnership win rate that is respectable if unspectacular.

Based at Tim Easterby's Great Habton yard in North Yorkshire — a stable that has sent out 128 winners this season — Spirit of Applause has become a familiar presence at the lower levels of competition. He struggles in Class 4 races, the tier where he most often runs: he has not won in twenty-one attempts at that level. But he remains active, having raced just a day ago, and continues to pick up places that keep him earning. He is the definition of a professional plodder: not a champion, not a prospect, but a horse that knows his job and does it without fuss most weeks.