Tech That

The recent form makes for difficult reading. Going back through the last six runs — fifth, pulled up twice, fourth, eighth, sixth — there is little to suggest a breakthrough is imminent. The two non-completions are particularly concerning, as they indicate races where things have gone wrong rather than simply finishing behind better horses. That said, Tech That is clearly still being asked questions, having raced just one day ago.

Regular jockey Finn Lambert has been in the saddle for seven of those nine races and is yet to find the winner's enclosure with this horse. Seven attempts together with no reward is a test of patience for any partnership, though Lambert's continued association suggests the team at least believe there is something worth persisting with. Trainer Richard Phillips, based at Adlestrop in Gloucestershire, has sent out three winners this season — so the yard is capable of getting horses to win. The puzzle is unlocking whatever Tech That needs to do the same.

Most of its racing has come at Class 4 level — the middle tier of British racing, not the top shelf but not the bottom either — and it has drawn a blank in all four races at that grade. For a horse still seeking its first win at seven, the honest question is whether the right race or the right conditions have simply never quite lined up, or whether the talent to win just isn't there. Racing can be cruel in that way: some horses are competitive without ever quite being good enough to win. Tech That hasn't given up yet, and neither has its team — but time, and the calendar, are not on its side.