Yes Day

His most recent win came three weeks ago at Fontwell Park on 22 September, but his form since has been a bit sketchy: he has finished third or lower in four of his last six outings. The one bright spot came a fortnight earlier at Wetherby, where he finished second — close but not quite there. Jonjo O'Neill Jr, who rides him more often than anyone else, has piloted him to just one win from 16 races (6%), which hints that the horse may perform better for other riders or simply needs to land in the right race at the right moment.

Trained by Jonjo and A.J. O'Neill at Cheltenham, Yes Day is clearly a horse with some potential but one that requires patience. The stable is in fine form this season with 51 winners to their name, so there is no shortage of ambition or skill. The trainer has suggested that Yes Day's ideal target is the regional nationals — the long-distance chase competitions scattered across the country — provided he gets decent ground underfoot. That callout matters: he is a horse that may be better suited to fast, dry ground than to heavy or soft terrain. At eight years old, he is mature enough to know his job, but he is still active and capable of finding another win or two, just not reliably enough to be a horse anyone would bank on.