The recent run of form tells a more encouraging story than the win column suggests, though. Reading from most recent to oldest, the finishing positions go 5, 4, 3, 2, 9 — which, looked at in reverse, shows a horse that was running poorly early on, then steadily found its feet and came agonisingly close to a first win before slightly dropping away again. That second-place finish is the one to focus on: a horse doesn't run that close to winning without having genuine ability.
What works strongly in Starship Trooper's favour is the stable it comes from. Andrew Balding, based at Kingsclere in Hampshire, is one of the most productive yards in the country right now — 202 winners sent out this season alone. That is a remarkable volume, and it means Balding's team knows how to place a horse to give it its best chance. A yard firing at that rate doesn't keep a young horse in training without believing there is a win in it somewhere. Starship Trooper raced just one day ago, so the yard are clearly keeping it busy and looking for the right opportunity.
At three years old, there is still time. Plenty of horses at this stage of their career take five or six races just to work out what racing is actually about. The question now is whether that runner-up finish was a sign of things to come — or the closest it gets.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontefract Undulating |
1 | 1 second | 6 Oct | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 11 Mar | 0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 1 Apr | 0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 1 Jun | 0% |
| Great Yarmouth Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 18 Sep | 0% |