Black Storm

His career record reads one win from 14 races, which works out at roughly 1 in every 14, and six placed finishes alongside that. On paper that looks modest, but the context matters. His sole win came at Dundalk in October 2024, and before his move to Scotland he had been running in Ireland for Kevin Coleman's yard, where he finished third at Down Royal in June, beaten by a horse called Summer Snow. That kind of recent placing against decent competition is exactly what a new trainer looks for when assessing a purchase — he is not arriving on the back of a bad run, he is arriving in form.

The last six races tell an interesting story: two seconds, a third, then a dip to tenth, before back-to-back fourths most recently. The consistent placing shows he is competitive and running honestly, even if the winner's enclosure has been elusive for just over 20 months now. He has been trying at Class 5 level — the entry level of British racing — and has not managed a win there yet in four attempts, going 0 from 4 at that grade. At some point the places need to convert, and that is the puzzle Scott will be working on.

What the trainer's own words suggest is genuine optimism rather than cautious talk. The phrase "nice, big horse" hints at a horse who may be physically still developing or one who needs the right conditions to show his best. Scott clearly feels there is untapped ability here, and with a lively yard behind him and an Irish form line worth respecting, Black Storm looks like the kind of patient project that could surprise a few people once everything clicks.