Belaya River

The partnership with jockey Paul O'Brien is worth watching. In five races together they have won once — a 20% win rate, meaning they win roughly 1 in every 5 times they team up. That is a strong return by any measure, and it suggests the two have found a rhythm that works. When O'Brien is in the saddle, Belaya River is a more dangerous animal than the overall career numbers might suggest.

Behind the scenes, the horse is trained by Harry Derham at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, a yard that has been in excellent form — 57 winners sent out already this season. That kind of output means Derham's team know what they are doing when it comes to placing horses in the right races at the right time. Belaya River typically runs at Class 4 level, one step below the top tier of everyday racing, and has won 1 from 4 races at that level (25%) — again, a solid return that suggests the horse is competitive when the race fits.

Racing just yesterday and currently active, Belaya River's recent form shows a cluster of unplaced runs before that January win — the dash entries in the form suggest races where no finishing position was recorded, possibly due to absence. The important thing is that the win came, it came at a distance the horse clearly suits, and the yard is in fine fettle. For a horse still only four years old, the best may well be ahead.