An Outlaw's Grace

That trip to France tells you something important: this was not treated as an ordinary horse. You don't run a horse in a top European race on the back of a single win unless you genuinely believe you have something special. But since that debut victory, things haven't quite clicked. He has run 10 more times without winning, and his overall record stands at just 1 win from 11 races — roughly 1 in every 11. His recent form makes for modest reading: in his last six races, his best finish has been a second place, and he has twice finished sixth or worse.

What makes this more than just a tale of decline is what trainer Richard Hannon said recently. Hannon, whose yard has already sent out 118 winners this season — a remarkable volume that marks it as one of the most productive operations in British racing — described An Outlaw's Grace as a horse who "lost his way" after that early burst, but is now working well and looking great. He was direct about it: he expects the horse to be winning races. That is not the sort of thing a trainer says lightly on the record.

Jockey Sean Levey, who has ridden him in 6 of his 11 races and partnered him for that sole win, has shown a patient, nurturing style with him. After the Salisbury debut, Tim Palin — director of racing for the owners — specifically praised the "very kind ride" Levey gave him, noting he was nursed into the race and would have learned from the experience. The partnership has won together once from six attempts, or roughly 1 in every 6 rides. His best racing distance appears to be the short sprint trips of five to six and a half furlongs, where his one win has come. He has raced four times at the top level of Class 2 racing without winning any of them.

He raced just yesterday, so whatever comes next is imminent. The question is whether the promise of that debut day at Salisbury — nearly two years ago now — is finally about to resurface.