Intrusively

Yet trainer Michael Appleby, who runs a successful operation from Oakham in Rutland with 71 winners already this season, sees something worth persisting with. The horse is young enough at four, and Appleby points to legitimate excuses: Intrusively finished third in the Richmond Stakes last year and fifth in the Doncaster sales race behind a horse that would go on to win the French Derby. Winter brought minor setbacks, but on his comeback at Newcastle, the horse ran well under difficult circumstances, meeting heavy traffic during the race. Appleby suggests Intrusively would have finished a place or two higher had the race unfolded more smoothly. There is an impression of a horse that has promise without yet having learned to convert it into wins. With a win rate that sits at just 5 percent across 19 starts, consistency remains elusive, but the presence of those stronger efforts at shorter distances and in better company suggests he may not be finished yet.