City Captain

The key to City Captain's success lies in finding the right ground and distance. Over five to six and a half furlongs, he has won five of nine races — more than half his starts at those lengths — and Pontefract is almost a second home, with two wins from just three visits. It is on softer ground that he truly shines. His trainer Harriet Bethell, who runs a yard near Arnold in Yorkshire and has sent out 18 winners this season, is clear about his preferences: he needs conditions with some cut in the ground to perform at his best. On faster, firmer surfaces he struggles, and Bethell has steered clear of autumn's top races as a result, preferring to keep him fresh for better ground and a strong finish to the year.

Recent form shows promise too. After winning at Carlisle on soft ground, jockey Danny Tudhope noted that City Captain really came into his own once he found some dig underfoot, winning with room to spare. A minor setback from interference at Doncaster has interrupted his momentum, but Bethell expects him back in the winner's circle before the season ends. The horse is still relatively immature — a big frame that will continue to fill out — and the trainer believes he will be an even better prospect next year once he has fully grown into himself.