Icare Colombe

The recent form makes for interesting reading. Starting from the most recent race just yesterday, the sequence reads 3-1-3-4-5-5 — so after two disappointing finishes, Icare Colombe climbed steadily back up the placings before that breakthrough win in second position from the left. The direction of travel had been clearly upward before the victory, and the horse raced again only a day ago, which suggests the team at Fergal O'Brien's yard are keeping it busy and in good rhythm.

O'Brien is one of the most productive trainers in Britain right now — 90 winners already this season from his base in Withington, Gloucestershire, which is the kind of output that marks out a yard firing on all cylinders. When a trainer of that quality keeps running a horse, it usually means they believe there is more to come. Icare Colombe's regular partner in the saddle is Jonathan Burke, who has ridden the horse in 7 of its 12 races and was aboard for that Market Rasen win. Together they win roughly 1 in every 7 races — a 14% win rate — which is a perfectly respectable partnership, even if the results have mostly come in the shape of places rather than wins.

One slightly puzzling note: Icare Colombe has run five times in Class 5 races — the lower end of the competition scale — and has yet to win at that level, despite finally breaking through elsewhere. Whether the team deliberately targets different types of race going forward, or whether Market Rasen simply suited on the day, will be worth watching as this horse's story continues to unfold.