What we do know is that The Gem State is in exactly the right hands to find out how good it can be. Trainer Paul Nicholls, based at his famous yard in Ditcheat, Somerset, is one of the most decorated names in the sport, and his operation is in serious form right now — 93 winners already sent out this season alone. That is the kind of conveyor belt of talent that tells you a horse isn't just filling a stable; it has been selected to be there.
At five years old, The Gem State is still young and relatively unexposed. A second-place finish from a single race is genuinely hard to read — it could mean a horse that was unlucky, or one that was simply outpaced by something better on the day. The truth is, one race tells you almost nothing, which is precisely what makes the next start so interesting. Watch this space.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedgefield Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 1 Apr | 0% |