Squealer

York is very much home territory for this horse. His first career win came there back in September 2022, and it was the same track where he claimed his most recent victory. Tinkler, who trains nearby in Langton, North Yorkshire, makes no secret of what the course means to the operation — the owners have an apartment in the old Terry's Chocolate Factory, which looks directly down over the racecourse. Winning there is personal. The plan is to return for York's final meeting of the season, though Tinkler is clear that Squealer needs fast, dry ground to show his best. On normal conditions he wins 4 from 15 races — more than 1 in 4 — which is a strong record, and it explains why the yard have no interest in sending him somewhere unsuitable. He went to Bahrain last year and didn't travel well; they won't be making that mistake again.

The most compelling thing about Squealer, according to jockey Rowan Scott, is what happens late in a race when everything goes right. Scott, who has ridden him to all four of his career wins from 21 races together — winning roughly 1 in 5 — talks about an "electric turn of foot" when the horse is settled in the early stages. The catch is that it requires patience and positioning, and recent races have been complicated by unlucky draws in the starting stalls. He hasn't won in his last six outings, and those finishes — 4th, 12th, 8th, 11th, 16th, 6th — suggest a horse who is finding things going against him rather than one running out of ability. The handicapper has taken note of that York win and raised his mark accordingly, which makes life harder, but the talent is clearly there. When the ground dries out and the draw goes his way, Squealer remains one to watch.