Echo Of Stars

The really interesting detail is what happens over a mile and three furlongs to a mile and four furlongs. At those distances, Echo Of Stars has won 1 of 3 races—again, that 33 percent mark—suggesting that the sweet spot for this horse lies in that zone rather than shorter or longer races. The most recent six races paint a picture of inconsistency: a ninth, then a fifteenth, then a third, followed by fourths, a second, and another fourth. It's the kind of form where you see flashes of promise buried in a lot of disappointing days.

What stands out is the wait between victories. Echo Of Stars won at Chepstow two months ago and hasn't found the winner's circle since, though it did manage a second place more recently. With only one win in six attempts, this is a horse that is still learning the game, and at three years old, there is time for that to change. It is trained by Oliver Cole at Whatcombe in Oxfordshire, a yard that has been competitive this season with eight winners already. The horse raced just yesterday, so it is active and in regular work—watch this one at Chepstow if it returns there, because that is clearly where it runs its best.