That said, there are faint signs of life in the recent form. A second-place finish two races ago shows Walk In The West can get competitive when conditions fall right, sandwiched between a sixth and a string of disappointing tens. It is not a consistent performer yet, but that runner-up spot is at least proof it can mix it with the right field on the right day.
The horse is trained by Anthony Honeyball at his yard in Mosterton, Dorset — and that is actually one of the more encouraging things you can say about Walk In The West's prospects. Honeyball's team has sent out 50 winners already this season, which marks this out as a genuinely productive yard rather than a quiet backwater operation. When a busy, successful trainer keeps running a horse that hasn't won, it usually means they can see something worth persevering with. Honeyball would not be wasting a race entry on a horse he had given up on.
The level Walk In The West competes at — Class 4, which sits in the mid-range of British racing — has produced no wins from three attempts so far. That is a concern, but it also means the team has room to manoeuvre. Drop the horse into easier company and the picture could change quickly. For now, Walk In The West is the kind of horse you watch with patience rather than expectation — but with a yard firing on all cylinders behind it, that first win might not be as far away as the record suggests.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton Undulating |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 24 Mar | 0% |
| Wincanton Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 1 Apr | 0% |
| Exeter Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 17 Nov | 0% |
| Uttoxeter Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 29 Mar | 0% |
| Cheltenham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 1 Jan | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 29 Apr | 0% |