I Spy A Diva

The partnership with jockey David Bass is the most productive of her career. Together they have won 3 of their 11 races — just over 1 in every 4 — and those three wins account for three-quarters of her entire career tally. That kind of consistency between horse and rider matters more than people might think; some horses simply travel better for certain jockeys, and Bass clearly gets the best out of her. Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls, who train her from their yard near Cheltenham, have been in good form this season with 31 winners sent out, so the operation behind her is firing.

The concern heading into her return is time and form. She has not won in her last six races, and her last victory came at Warwick in May 2023 — that is three years ago now. Her recent finishes of 3rd, 4th, 8th, 6th, 9th, and 7th paint a picture of a horse that occasionally threatens but has not been able to close the deal. She is also returning from a break of around 112 days, roughly three months off the track, so there will be a question mark over how sharp she is first time back. Horses returning from layoffs can run well fresh, or they can need the run to blow away the cobwebs — it varies.

Back in late 2022, when she was still finding her feet, Kim Bailey noted she was progressing and capable of picking up another race at her level, and that proved right at the time. Whether that spark is still there at nine, after a long winless run, is the question. She remains a horse with enough ability to be competitive at her level, but the clock is ticking on when — or whether — she finds the winner's enclosure again.