Symbol Of Hope

That Bath dominance explains why Symbol Of Hope is still competitive despite going through a quiet spell. It hasn't won in its last six races, finishing eighth, third, seventh, second, third and fourth most recently, which on the face of it looks like a horse in decline. But the reality is more nuanced. Trained by Grace Harris at Shirenewton in Gwent, it is still getting regular chances and still finding the frame often enough to suggest there is racing left in it. When it does run on very dry, fast ground — the kind of conditions that suit its racing style — it has won twice from nine attempts, a respectable 22 per cent win rate that sits well above its career average.

The horse has a clear ally in the saddle too. Ray Dawson has been its jockey for much of its career, and the partnership clicks. Dawson has ridden Symbol Of Hope to five wins from just 13 races together, an impressive 38 per cent win rate that is nearly four times better than the horse's overall record. It suggests that when conditions align — Bath, fast ground, Ray Dawson in the irons, and a race at the right level — this horse is more than just another aging campaigner filling a card. Its last win came at Bath on 2 August 2024, a long time ago now, but the template for getting another one is written clearly in its form book.