Hermino AA

The horse shows a clear preference for wet ground. On soft or muddy going he wins at a rate of one in three races (2 wins from 6), nearly double his overall win rate. This tells you something important: on fast, dry ground he struggles, but give him mud and he becomes noticeably more competitive. His partnership with jockey Jamie Moore has been the most fruitful relationship of his career—they have won two of their seven races together, a 29% win rate that stands out against his overall record. That consistency suggests they have found an understanding.

Hermino AA competes mainly in Class 3 races, the mid-tier of the staying hurdle division, where he has won only 1 of 7 races. His recent form shows he continues to run—placing third just a day ago—but the last six races tell a story of a horse treading water: an eighth, an eleventh, then two sixth-place finishes either side of a win. McNamara has said the horse tried fences early on but returned to hurdles where he has shown his real ability, including a second-place finish in a strong race at Sandown in February. He is capable in the right conditions and over the right distance, which explains why his yard has backed him enough times to keep him in regular work.