Master Sydney

Where Master Sydney becomes more interesting is over distance. When stretched out to between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, he wins 1 from 6 races at a rate of around 17% — roughly 1 in every 6 — which is meaningfully better than his overall record suggests. For a horse that has looked modest on the figures, that tells you he has a genuine preference, and trainers and punters alike tend to sit up when a horse shows that kind of pattern. The key is getting him in the right race at the right trip.

He runs out of the yard of Paul W Flynn in Colehill, County Longford — a stable that has sent out 21 winners this season, so this is not a team short on confidence or ability. Master Sydney raced just one day ago, meaning he is very much in active campaign mode right now, and with his best form coming at longer distances, the next logical step is finding another opportunity over that extended trip. His form over the last six runs reads 12-6-blank-4-12-3, which is patchy at best, but the placed finish at the end of that sequence is a reminder that he can still get involved when conditions suit.