Courtland

The place where Courtland really comes alive is Worcester. He has won 3 of his 5 races there — more than half — and it was at Worcester where his career proper began. His first win came there in May 2023, and he followed it up three months later with a Class 2 victory at the same track in August. Winning a Class 2 race at a course you clearly love is the kind of form that catches the eye, and it confirmed Courtland as a horse operating at a genuinely high level.

His most productive partnership has been with jockey Sean Bowen, who rode him to 4 wins from 10 races together. That is a remarkable hit rate of 40% — nearly 2 wins from every 5 times they have teamed up. After one of the Worcester victories, Bowen noted that Courtland had spent time out of form and needed a year off to come back to himself, but that when he clicked back into gear he travelled smoothly and won well. Part-owner Gwyn Brace has spoken warmly about Courtland's character — bought as a foal in Ireland, he has always been described as laid-back and easy to love, the kind of horse a yard builds their season around.

His last win came at Hereford in March 2024 — now 26 months ago — and he has not won in his last 6 races, though he has placed twice in that time. But trainer Mickey Bowen sounds anything but concerned. He has spoken recently about Courtland being as good as he has ever been in training, and has a significant target in mind: a £100,000 veterans' chase final at Haydock next month. For a horse who has earned his reputation steadily over years rather than in a blaze of early glory, that kind of big-prize occasion looks like a fitting stage.