City Chief

The Wetherby win remains the high watermark of his career, and it is now 39 months ago. Since then, City Chief has run six times without winning, and his recent form — two finishes outside the top ten, two non-completions, and a sixth and fifth before that — makes for uncomfortable reading. The dash symbols in his last four runs suggest he did not finish those races, which is a concern for any horse at this level. Something has clearly interrupted his momentum.

His most regular partner in the saddle is Nico de Boinville, one of the most respected jump jockeys in the country. Together they have won just 1 of their 8 races — roughly 1 in every 8 — which is a modest return given de Boinville's overall quality, and hints that the horse has not been at his best during their partnership. That said, the fact a jockey of his calibre keeps coming back to ride City Chief suggests the team still believes there is something worth chasing.

City Chief is at an interesting crossroads. He is nine years old, which in racing terms means he is experienced and fully mature, but also that the clock is ticking on his best years. He has already proved he can win at the highest level, and his overall record — 4 wins and 9 places from 16 races — shows a horse that is competitive far more often than he wins. Whether he can rediscover winning form after this barren stretch is the question hanging over him. Horses with a Class 1 on their record do not come along every day, and there will be plenty of people hoping City Chief has one more big day left in him.