Walsingham

Trained by David O'Meara at Upper Helmsley in North Yorkshire, Walsingham thrives on normal ground conditions, winning 3 of 8 races when the going is standard rather than soft or fast. It performs best in lower-level races, winning at a 20% rate in Class 5 company, though it has been stretched by tougher opposition. Recent form has been unkind — the horse has not won in its last six outings — but after returning to Pontefract just a month ago with a victory, O'Meara's confidence has returned. The trainer noted that the horse had enjoyed a clean run through the spring after a couple of disrupted seasons, and suggested Walsingham could still make progress.

The one frustration has been the partnership with jockey Chris Hayes, who has ridden Walsingham eight times without a win. Brodie Hampson, by contrast, guided the horse to victory at Ascot on soft ground, describing it as a horse that can race lazily but, given a strong enough pace to chase into, shows real determination in the closing stages. At six years old and still actively racing, Walsingham is unlikely to scale the heights of top competition, but at Pontefract on normal ground, it remains a genuine threat.