Tamarind Bay

The real story is written in his last six outings. After two blank runs, he won at Uttoxeter seven weeks ago, then won again just days later, then placed third, then notched another place. That is genuine form. He has won 2 of his last 6 races, which is far better than his career average and shows a horse coming into his own. What makes this particularly interesting is where those wins came: on normal ground conditions. Run him on standard or dry turf and Tamarind Bay has won 2 of 8 races — a 25 per cent win rate, a quarter of his starts converted to victories. That is the closest thing he has to a calling card.

Where the cracks show is at the sharper end of the game. Stepped up to Class 4 races — proper competitive contests — Tamarind Bay has never won, managing zero victories from thirteen attempts. He wins his races at a lower level, and his trainer Mickey Bowen, based at Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, may have already flagged where the real upside lies. The yard sent out 52 winners this season, so there is genuine competence here. Bowen has suggested Tamarind Bay could be transformed when switched to chasing — jumping over fences rather than hurdles — reckoning the horse has a natural gift for it and could flourish over bigger obstacles in summer. If that assessment is right, we are looking at a horse whose best days are genuinely still ahead. For now, though, he remains a consistent also-ran with occasional moments of genuine winning form.