Zubaru

The numbers tell the story. On good, firm ground, Zubaru wins nearly 2 in every 5 races (3 wins from 7). Put it on soft or heavy going and it struggles badly. The horse also thrives over its favourite distance of seven furlongs to a mile, winning 2 of 5 races in that range (40%), and at Doncaster specifically, it has become almost a specialist—2 wins from 5 races there. That Doncaster victory in June was its second at the track, and it was also where Zubaru earned its maiden win back in May.

Trained by George Scott at Newmarket, the horse is part of a yard in excellent form this season with 52 winners to its name. Darragh Keenan has been Zubaru's most frequent jockey, with one win between them from five rides. The horse's recent form has been patchy: a win and a place in its last six, but mixed results in between. Class 5 racing has proved a sticking point—the horse has never won at that level—but Zubaru remains worth watching on dry ground and over its preferred distance. For a horse of moderate ability, finding its niche matters, and Zubaru has clearly found its corners at Doncaster.