Elan d'Or

The encouraging news is that Elan d'Or performs noticeably better in top-level races. In Class 4 contests — proper competitive racing — the horse has won one of four races, a 25% win rate that significantly outstrips its overall 14% record. That suggests the horse is capable when the standard is high and the opposition properly matched. Current jockey Marco Ghiani has ridden it five times, winning once, which works out to a 20% win rate — solid partnership form, though a small sample size.

Stuart Williams's Newmarket yard has been firing this season with 67 winners to date, so Elan d'Or is part of an operation clearly in form. The question now is whether the horse can recapture the winning thread it found late last year. With racing just yesterday, it remains active and competitive, but nine months without a win is a significant drought for any horse aiming to prove itself at this level. The recent third-place finishes suggest it is still capable of running well — just not quite getting over the line.