Danger Alert

The most recent win came at Chester in May 2023 — over 37 months ago now — and Baker's post-race comments are worth dwelling on. He described Danger Alert as a horse who needs to arrive late, who can get to the front too soon and then think about stopping, and who puts his head up when the pressure is on. That is a specific, fiddly profile to manage, and it explains why the wins have been rare. But Baker also noted that the horse was rated up in the 90s at one point, which for context puts him in genuinely competitive territory — and that a run at Sandown recently ended with bad luck rather than lack of ability. The trainer's word for him is "bubbling under," which is either encouraging or maddening depending on your patience levels.

The ownership story adds a nice layer. Tim Rodber, a former England rugby captain who won 44 caps in the 1990s, and his wife are the people backing this project. Baker is clear that they want to keep the horse in training, and that he fully agrees with that call. That kind of mutual belief, even after a winless run stretching across three years and six consecutive races without a victory, says something about what they think is still possible.

Pat Cosgrave has ridden Danger Alert seven times without a win between them, which is one of those statistical combinations that looks worse than it might be — the horse hasn't won for anyone in a long time. The yard itself is in decent form with 14 winners this season, so the infrastructure is there. One more run is planned before the season closes. Whether Danger Alert finally delivers or continues to tantalise is, at this point, almost beside the point. The team clearly believes the story isn't finished yet.