Spirit Of The Bay

Her most recent win came six weeks ago at Chepstow, and that is no accident. Chepstow has become her fortress. She has won twice from eight races there — a 25% win rate at a single course that suggests the track suits her temperament or running style in a way others do not. She also won her career breakthrough at Haydock Park back in 2023, so she has proved capable of success at different venues when the setup is right.

The trainer John & Rhys Flint has suggested that she may improve over longer distances, noting her comeback performance at Kempton was among her best despite not winning. This hints at a horse still learning her game. William Cox has partnered her eight times without a win, which is worth noting — a change of rider in the right race might spark something new. What matters now is that Spirit Of The Bay is still active and still capable. She ran just a day ago, and her recent form shows a horse knocking on the door: places at her last outing and a fourth two races before that. She has had fun for her owners, as the trainer says, and in racing, a horse that enjoys herself and can string together better ground and distance is always worth watching.