Yermanthere

The numbers that really stand out are on soft, wet ground. From just three races in those conditions, Yermanthere has won twice — that is a win rate of 67%, or roughly two in every three attempts. Compare that to his overall record of 4 wins from 39 races (winning around 1 in every 10), and it becomes clear this is a horse with a very specific superpower. When the ground is soft and the skies have been grey, he becomes a completely different animal. Tim Easterby, who trains him at his yard in Great Habton, North Yorkshire, spotted early that this horse was well-placed for the summer season and was patient about finding the right opportunities. That kind of quiet, deliberate management is exactly what gets the best out of a horse like this.

Easterby himself is having a strong season — 128 winners sent out already — and Yermanthere is a small but satisfying part of that picture. The horse first won back in September 2021 at Cork, and has kept plugging away ever since, mostly at the Class 4 level that makes up the solid, unglamorous backbone of British racing. He has won just 1 of his 11 races at that level, but the 11 places alongside his 4 wins show a horse that competes honestly and finishes near the front far more often than his win record alone suggests.

His recent form tells a sharp upward story: after results of 10th and 7th, he has finished 5th, 5th, then first and second in his last two outings. That is a horse coming into form at exactly the right moment. Luke McAteer, who rides him most often, has won 1 of their 5 races together — 20%, or 1 in every 5 — which is comfortably above Yermanthere's overall average. When this horse is fit, in form, and the rain has done its work on the ground, he is worth watching very closely.