Wrist Art

Those two wins both came in the autumn of 2023 — first at Punchestown in September, then at Thurles in October — and that was that. Thirty months have passed since Wrist Art last saw a winner's enclosure, and its last six runs have told a consistent story: two thirds, then four finishes between seventh and tenth. The recent form is heading in the wrong direction, and there is little in those numbers to suggest a change of fortune is imminent.

Wrist Art is trained by James Owen, based in Newmarket, and it would be hard to fault the yard for lack of activity — 205 winners sent out this season is a genuinely impressive operation. Wayne Hassett is the regular partner in the saddle, and together they have actually produced both of the horse's career wins from 11 races — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 5 rides together, which stands out sharply against the horse's overall record. The trouble is that Wrist Art has spent most of its time competing at the lowest level of British racing, and has yet to win a single race in 7 attempts at that grade. For a horse of nine, with its best form already 30 months behind it, that combination of facts makes for sobering reading.