Stoner's Choice

The more interesting detail is Kempton Park. Both of those career wins have come at this one venue, from just six visits — meaning it wins 1 in every 3 races there. That is a genuinely striking record, and it is the kind of thing seasoned racegoers pay close attention to. A horse that reserves its best for a specific track, whether it is the surface, the shape of the course, or just some unknown preference, is a real phenomenon. Stoner's Choice has been finding the winner's enclosure at Kempton since May 2022, with its most recent win there coming in April 2023.

That said, 37 months have now passed since that last victory, and the recent form makes for sober reading: in its last six races, the best it has managed is fifth, with a run of sixth-place finishes either side. It competes mainly at Class 3 level — one step below the very top races — and at that grade has won 2 from 15, or roughly 1 in every 7 or 8 runs. That is a respectable level to be competing at consistently, even if the wins have dried up.

Jockey Max Kendrick has been the regular partner, riding Stoner's Choice in 12 of its 25 races and winning once together — the same 1-in-12 ratio as the career overall. The yard behind it belongs to Fergal O'Brien, a trainer based in Gloucestershire who has had a productive season with 90 winners sent out. O'Brien is no stranger to placing horses well, and the fact that Stoner's Choice raced just yesterday suggests the team still believe there is a performance worth waiting for. At 11, this horse is deep into its career, but it raced yesterday and it has form figures that suggest it is not disgracing itself — it is simply waiting for the right day, ideally somewhere near a bend in Middlesex.