Brave Traveller

The horse rarely figures in the finishing frame these days. Newcastle proved to be the sweet spot, a track where it found its rhythm and delivered when it mattered. Since that win, however, Brave Traveller has managed just four places from ten races, with a string of unplaced runs in between. Bryan Smart's yard at Sutton Bank has sent out eighteen winners this season, so the trainer clearly knows how to get horses winning, but this particular animal has proved harder to crack back into the winners' enclosure.

When stepped up in class—the horse has tackled Class 5 races, near the bottom of the competitive ladder—Brave Traveller has drawn a blank, going zero from three. It remains a modest performer still finding its level, and recent signs suggest it may be struggling to get back on track. Still active and racing just days ago, there is time for the horse to rediscover what made it tick at Newcastle, but eight months is a long drought for any racehorse looking to prove its worth.