Trained by Anthony Honeyball out of Mosterton in Dorset, Hard Stare is part of a yard having a productive season — 51 winners sent out so far, which is a meaningful tally and speaks to a stable that knows how to get horses running well. At six years old, Hard Stare is in the prime of its racing life, old enough to have learned the game but still young enough to improve. The question is whether that improvement will be enough to finally get its nose in front.
Most of its races have come at Class 4 level — solid, competitive races without being the very top tier — and it has yet to win any of its three starts at that grade. Finishing third repeatedly at a level you have not cracked is a slightly frustrating profile, but it also means Hard Stare is not out of its depth. It belongs in these races. It just needs one more yard of pace, or one more piece of fortune, to turn a place into a win. Racing just yesterday, it remains active and in form, and with that run of thirds fresh in its legs, the first win feels closer than the bare record suggests.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton Undulating |
3 | 2 thirds, 1 other | 9 Mar | 0% |
| Fontwell Park Tight |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 7 Nov | 0% |
| Newbury Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 22 Mar | 0% |
| Wincanton Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 16 Dec | 0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 20 May | 0% |