His recent form makes for interesting reading. The string of figures — 3-5-–-2-2-4 — shows a horse that has twice finished second in his last six outings, suggesting he is running into form even if the winner's enclosure remains out of reach. A gap in that sequence hints at a missed run, possibly due to an absence or a race that was left off the card. Jockey Harry Davies has been on board for five of those eight races and is still waiting for that first win alongside Toastmaster, which puts some pressure on the partnership — though at this level, a horse that keeps running into a place is at least doing something right.
That level is Class 5 — the entry point of British racing, where horses are finding their feet or searching for the right opportunity. Toastmaster has run five times at this grade without winning, which raises a question the trainer Michael Herrington will be turning over: is this a horse that simply needs more time, or one that needs a slightly different setup to unlock a win? Herrington's yard at Willoughton in Lincolnshire has sent out 33 winners this season, so this is clearly an operation that knows how to get horses into the winner's enclosure — Toastmaster just hasn't joined that tally yet.
Raced as recently as yesterday, Toastmaster is very much a horse in the thick of his season. At three years old, there is every reason to stay patient. Many horses at this age are still learning their craft, and consistent placing at Class 5 — without ever running a truly poor race — is not the worst foundation to build on. The next run will tell us a good deal about which way his story goes.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
3 | 2 seconds, 1 other | 30 Jan | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 7 Oct | 0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 25 Feb | 0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 24 Apr | 0% |
| York Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 23 May | 0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 4 Sep | 0% |