Mirabad

What makes Mirabad particularly interesting is how conditions shape him. On soft, slightly wet ground, he has won all three times he has encountered it — a perfect 3 from 3. That is not luck; that is a horse who genuinely thrives when the ground has a bit of give in it. Over distances between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, he has won 2 of his 4 races, a 50% win rate that suggests he is at his most dangerous when kept to that range. Dan Skelton's yard at Alcester — one of the most productive operations in Britain this season, with 194 winners already — clearly knows exactly where and when to place him.

The Aintree win two weeks ago is the standout moment of Mirabad's career so far. Skelton admitted afterwards that he had told jockey Tristran Durrell to simply drop the horse in, sit quiet, and steal what he could in a race likely to be run at a strong pace. The plan worked perfectly, and Skelton's own reaction — "I've no idea how that happened" — tells you everything about how unexpectedly well it came together. It is the kind of win that sticks in the memory: not a dominant display, but a cleverly ridden, opportunistic performance that showed Mirabad at his most streetwise.

Earlier in the season, Skelton had kept open the possibility of a tilt at the Arkle, one of the great novice chasing races at the Cheltenham Festival, though he was honest that five or six strong rivals made it a daunting prospect. Aintree was always the likelier route if the big race stayed competitive — and so it proved. That Skelton was even considering the option speaks to how well Mirabad has taken to jumping fences. Jockey Durrell noted after his first chase start at Exeter that Mirabad jumped particularly well and, though he races keenly by nature, a hood helped him settle into a rhythm. A horse who jumps cleanly, handles wet ground, and wins roughly 1 in 3 — Mirabad is a useful, likeable character in a very good yard.