Gata Ban

Both wins have come at the level where this horse feels most at home. Nine of its 17 races have been at Class 5, the bread-and-butter tier of British racing, and Gata Ban has won 2 of those 9 — that's 1 in every 4 and a half, which is a genuinely solid return at that level. The first win came at Taunton in December 2022, and the most recent at Hereford in February 2025 — 15 months ago now, which means the win column hasn't been troubled for a while.

The last six races make for interesting reading: two near-misses with a second and a fourth, then a pair of thirds, then two disappointing sixths. There's a shape to that sequence that suggests a horse gradually coming back into form after a dip — the question is whether the trend continues in the right direction. Gata Ban raced just yesterday, so we're watching this story in real time.

The partnership with jockey Richie McLernon is worth noting. In 7 races together, they've won twice — that's a 29% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 3 rides. For context, that's more than double the horse's overall win rate, which suggests McLernon gets the best out of this particular animal. When that combination lines up, it's worth paying attention.

Trainer Neil Mulholland, based at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire, has sent out 60 winners this season — a yard clearly in good nick. Gata Ban might not be the headline act at Mulholland's stable, but it's a reliable performer at its level, still racing at nine years old, still placing, and still capable of winning on the right day. That's a career worth respecting.