Twilight Jet

The problem is that was a long time ago. Twilight Jet's last win came at Tipperary in September 2023 — 31 months back — and recent form makes for sobering reading: eighth, ninth, third, fifth, fifth, eighth across the last six runs. The third place shows there's still something there, but a horse that hasn't visited the winner's enclosure in nearly three years is one that keeps making you wait.

At Class 2 level, where Twilight Jet typically lines up, the record is stark: zero wins from six races. The step up in class seems to ask a question the horse hasn't yet found a way to answer. Jim and Suzi Best, who train out of Lewes in East Sussex, have had 14 winners on the board this season, so the yard is clearly in good form — the firepower is there if Twilight Jet can rediscover its spark.

The partnership with jockey Leigh Roche is the most encouraging thread to pull on. Together they've won 3 of their 14 races — that's roughly 1 in every 5, a win rate of 21% that comfortably outstrips Twilight Jet's overall career average of 1 in 10. That gap is significant. It suggests Roche understands this horse in a way others don't, or perhaps simply that he tends to ride Twilight Jet when conditions suit. Either way, when Roche is in the saddle, the horse delivers at twice its usual rate. After a short break of 57 days, the question now is whether the seven-year-old comes back refreshed — and whether Roche is on board to make the most of it.