Criminal

The recent form tells a story of inconsistency. Working backwards through the last six races, the finishing positions read 4, 2, 8, 11, 9, 7 — so a solid second place in there, but also some real struggles, including back-to-back finishes of ninth and eleventh. That second place is the glimmer that keeps everyone coming back, proof that on the right day Criminal can mix it at this level. But those double-figure finishes are a reminder that there are off days too, and they have been more common than not.

Jockey Finley Marsh has partnered the horse for seven of its twelve races and is still searching for that elusive first win together. Seven attempts is a genuine partnership at this point, and a 0 from 7 record between them means they have had plenty of chances without converting. That is not necessarily a damning verdict — plenty of horses take time — but it does raise the question of whether a change of rider might shake things up.

What makes the wider picture more intriguing is the yard behind the horse. Trainer Richard Hughes, operating out of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, has sent out 60 winners already this season — that is a productive operation by any measure. When a trainer is firing in winners at that rate, it tends to mean the horses around them are well prepared. Criminal, in that context, is something of an outlier in the string: a horse in a winning yard that simply has not won yet.

Raced just yesterday and still active, Criminal is clearly being kept busy. At Class 4, a solid mid-tier level, the opportunity is there. The horse is not being thrown into elite company — these are winnable races. Sooner or later, the yard will be hoping the pieces click into place. For now, Criminal remains one of racing's most fitting names: always under suspicion, never quite caught in the act of winning.