Croupier

The York win is the standout moment. Ridden with patience just off a fast early pace, Croupier travelled smoothly into the race and, when it mattered, kept finding more when other horses would have folded. His trainer noted afterwards that they'd made a mistake running him on heavy, waterlogged ground at the Lincoln beforehand — a race he clearly didn't enjoy — and that York showed what he's capable of when conditions and race setup suit him. The plan at the time was to head straight to Royal Ascot's Hunt Cup, a prestigious mile-and-a-quarter cavalry charge where a strong pace and big field were expected to suit him perfectly.

Where Croupier gets really interesting is at distances between a mile and a mile and two furlongs. At those trips he's won 2 from 4 races — a 50% win rate. That is extraordinary. Half the races he runs at his best distance, he wins. That kind of consistency at a specific trip tells you the team know exactly what they've got and when to use him.

Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith, based in High Eldwick in West Yorkshire, have had a productive season — 42 winners sent out this season, which is the kind of output that reflects a well-run yard with genuine depth. Their early confidence in Croupier, expressed before his first win at Windsor in September 2022, was based on the belief he had room to improve on his official rating. Three wins and six places later, that belief looks well founded.

He last raced just yesterday and hasn't won since that York success almost three years ago, which is the one question mark hanging over him. Six places in that time, however, suggests he's been consistently competitive rather than in decline. A horse that wins 30% of its races overall and 50% at the right distance still has something to say — this story may not be finished.