Italian Spirit

The recent form makes for interesting reading. In the last six races, Italian Spirit has finished second, fourth, fifth, third, and fifth — a horse that is consistently there or thereabouts, running into the frame, but not winning. That placed run a couple of spots back will have pleased Harriet Dickin's yard in Somerset, even if it doesn't change the bottom line. At this level — the kind of mid-tier races where most horses spend their working lives — you'd expect a horse with this profile to be converting better. Seven races at that level, one win, which is roughly 1 in every 7. That single success came, again, at Fakenham, which begins to look like the one place where everything clicks.

Dickin has sent out four winners this season, which shows the Somerset yard is in decent enough form. The trainer was enthusiastic about Italian Spirit's attitude early in the horse's career, noting a tenacious, willing character and an ability to learn quickly — qualities that perhaps explain why this horse keeps finishing in the places even if the wins have dried up. Good attitude gets you into races; it doesn't always get you past the post first.

The question hanging over Italian Spirit at ten is simply whether another win is coming, or whether those consistent placed efforts are now the ceiling. Racing does throw up the occasional older horse who rediscovers their best, and the fact that this one raced just yesterday suggests there's still enthusiasm in the camp. But with only 8% of races resulting in a victory across a 13-race career, and nothing in the winner's column for over four and a half years, Italian Spirit is the kind of horse that keeps you watching — just not always for the reasons you'd hope.