Kitaab

Both of those wins have come on normal ground, and both over the shorter distances — between five and six-and-a-half furlongs. Over those trips in those conditions, Kitaab has won 2 from 18 races, an 11% win rate, which is meaningfully better than its overall record. That pattern is worth noting: stretch the trip or change the ground and you're asking for something this horse hasn't delivered. Keep things short and dry, and you're at least in the conversation.

The first win came at Southwell in February 2024, and the most recent at Newcastle in October that same year — now roughly 20 months ago. Since then, across the last six races, the finishing positions read 4, 12, 6, 7, 11, 8. Nothing close to a win, and a couple of those double-digit finishes suggest days where things simply didn't click. It's a form line that points to a horse competing gamely at Class 5 level — one of the lower tiers of British racing — without threatening to break through.

Philip Kirby's yard up in North Yorkshire has had a productive season, sending out 36 winners, so there's no shortage of ability in the operation. Cam Hardie has partnered Kitaab eight times without a win between them, which is a combination that keeps getting another chance without yet finding the result. At some point, racing partnerships either click or they don't — eight races is a fair audition.

What keeps Kitaab interesting is sheer persistence. Racing again just yesterday, a seven-year-old with over 30 races under its belt isn't winding down — it's still showing up. Whether the ground is right, the distance suits, and everything falls into place on the same afternoon is another question. But on the right day at the right track, this horse has shown it knows where the line is.