Croupier

The horse hasn't tasted victory in over three years. His last win came in May 2023 at York, where trainer Joel Parkinson noted he travelled well into the race after setting a patient plan and kept finding more when others came at him. The plan then was to target the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot, a big field handicap where Croupier's liking for strong early pace and competitive racing was supposed to count in his favour. That victory now sits four decades of months in the past. Since then, his form has dipped considerably. His last six races show some mid-field efforts — a third and a ninth among them — but nothing approaching a winning performance, with his most recent outing just a day ago seeing him finish fifteen lengths back.

Still, Croupier remains an active runner in the care of the High Eldwick yard of Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith, which has had a productive season with forty-two winners to its name. For a seven-year-old carrying the weight of three years without a win, that consistency matters. There is clearly a level at which this horse competes — and at his best distance, his record proves he can get the job done. Whether he rediscovers that form is another matter entirely.