Vaguely Royal

What makes Vaguely Royal most interesting is what happens when the distance stretches out. Over a mile and six furlongs to two miles — proper staying territory — it has won 3 from 10 races. That is 30%, or nearly 1 in every 3, which is a genuinely impressive number. Most horses at this level struggle to win 1 in 5. The longer the race, the more Vaguely Royal seems to come alive, which suggests it is a horse that needs time and space to find its rhythm rather than one built for a sharp, quick contest.

The biggest moment on its CV came in December 2023, when it won a Class 2 race at Wolverhampton on the all-weather — one of the better races in Britain outside the very top tier. That win showed it can step up when the occasion demands it. Trained by Ian Williams out of Alvechurch in Worcestershire, it is part of a yard in strong form — 91 winners already this season is the kind of output that suggests a well-run, busy operation. When Kieran Shoemark has been in the saddle, the results have been noticeably better: 2 wins from 8 races together, which works out to 25%, or 1 in every 4 rides — well above its overall average.

The recent form makes for less cheerful reading. A ninth, two sixths, and a seventh in its last few outings suggests it has been running consistently without threatening to win. But Vaguely Royal raced just yesterday, so it is clearly being kept busy and the team evidently believe there is another win in it. Given what it has shown at longer distances and in better company, they may well be right.