Galahad Threepwood

Ewan Whillans trains him from Hawick in the Scottish Borders, and horses from that yard have shown decent form this season with 28 winners sent out. But Galahad hasn't been the beneficiary of that success. His regular jockey, Kielan Woods, has ridden him 13 times without a win, which tells you something about the partnership. His recent form reads 6-8-7-7-3-6 — a handful of mid-field finishes and one third-place that came three runs back, but nothing to suggest he's close to breaking his losing streak. At nine, he's well into the veteran stage for a racehorse, and his age combined with his record suggests he's become a useful hand for days when the ground is good and the company is modest, rather than a horse with genuinely winning ambitions anymore.

The numbers paint a clearer picture: over 20 races at distances of two miles or longer, his best terrain, he has won one and placed in five others. That 5% win rate on his strongest ground at his best trip is respectable enough, yet he still can't seem to find the same magic that struck at Doncaster in 2023. At Class 4 level — mid-range company in British racing — he has won once in 18 races. At this stage of his career, Galahad Threepwood is a horse that earns his keep on the periphery, collecting places and keeping his head above water, but the days when victory seemed plausible look increasingly distant.