Walk Tall

The recent form tells an interesting story. The last six runs read 8-7-6-5-2-3 in chronological order, which is actually a clear improvement — this horse has been getting closer with almost every run. Finishing second and then third in its most recent outings, and having raced just one day ago, Walk Tall looks like a horse that is rounding into form at exactly the right time. That kind of upward curve is precisely what trainers and followers look for.

Brendan Powell has been in the saddle for five of those seven races and is yet to get a win from the partnership, but given the recent improvement, that could easily change. Joe Tizzard trains Walk Tall from his yard in Milborne Port, Dorset, and the operation is clearly in good health — 54 winners sent out this season alone. A trainer putting up those kinds of numbers tends to know when a horse is ready to deliver, and placing Walk Tall in the right race at the right moment is very much Tizzard's job to get right.

The honest summary is that Walk Tall has not won yet, but the trajectory is pointing firmly upward. Three places from seven races, a string of improving finishes, and a powerful yard behind it — there are worse positions to be in.