Trust Amy

Hanmer trains out of Tattenhall in Cheshire, which puts Chester practically on his doorstep, and his yard has sent out 19 winners this season — a productive operation with plenty of live ammunition. He describes Trust Amy as a "pocket rocket": not physically imposing, but quick and full of energy. She was bought from the breeze-ups — a sale where young horses are shown off in short, timed gallops — and took a while to settle in her first season. By his account, she has matured considerably since then, and the confidence in his voice when discussing her is striking. "Who knows where her ceiling is?" is not the sort of thing trainers say about horses they are quietly trying to place in modest races.

Her record reads 1 win and 1 place from 9 races — a win rate of roughly 1 in 9 — which on paper looks modest. But context matters. Her recent sequence before the win showed her finishing fifth and sixth repeatedly, not out the back, and her form figures since that Chester win show she has raced three times without threatening to repeat it. What is interesting is that at Class 4 level, roughly the middle tier of British racing, she has won 1 from 4, a 25% win rate. That is a much more encouraging number — it suggests she belongs at that level and can be competitive when the conditions suit.

Owner Simon Boucher's affection for Chester is part of the plan, and Hanmer has already flagged a return there. For a horse described as sharp and pace-reliant, Chester's tight bends and short straights could be an advantage again. She raced just yesterday, so the team are clearly keeping her busy. Whether that first win turns out to be a breakthrough or a high point remains to be seen, but at three years old, with a trainer who clearly believes in her, Trust Amy is at least at the start of her story rather than the end of it.