Atreides

At eight years old and competing mostly in Class 5 races — the lower tiers of jump racing — Atreides has become the definition of consistent without being spectacular. He has finished in the places in 16 of his 31 races, meaning he regularly runs well enough to be close to the winner, but rarely manages to get past the post first. His recent form tells that story plainly: no wins in his last six races, though he did place in four of them, including a third and two fifths. He raced just over a week ago and remains actively campaigned.

Mulholland's stable at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire has been in excellent form this season, sending out 60 winners, so Atreides benefits from being part of a yard that knows how to prepare horses properly. The trainer's plan now is to give the horse a break and freshen him up for the spring, a decision that suggests Mulholland believes Atreides still has something left to offer. For a horse that wins roughly once every 15 races, consistency and the right tack matter far more than raw talent. The visor has done its job; now the rest is down to timing.