Mister Bluebird

The clues suggest capability still lingers, at least in the right conditions. Mister Bluebird is genuinely dangerous on wet ground, winning three of six races (50%) when conditions turn soft or muddy. That's the profile of a horse with a clear preference and a track record of thriving in it. He also has something of a Goodwood formula, with two wins from eight races at the Sussex track—not spectacular, but solid. The problem is consistency at his usual level. In Class 4 races—where most of his races happen—he has won just two of 21 (roughly one in ten), which is respectable but hardly the kind of record that wins many races.

Heather Main's yard at Kingston Lisle has sent out 17 winners this season, so the stable is doing its job. But Jack Mitchell, Mister Bluebird's regular jockey, has managed just one win from eight rides aboard him, suggesting this is not an easy horse to get firing. The real issue is that the horse simply hasn't found a race in the last thirteen months. Whether that's down to bad luck, tougher opposition, or a genuine dip in ability is impossible to say. What matters is that Mister Bluebird needs to get back to the winner's circle soon, or conversations about retirement will start creeping in.