Mister Coffey

He is 11 years old now, trained by Nicky Henderson at Upper Lambourn, one of the most celebrated yards in British racing. Henderson's team has sent out 85 winners already this season, so this is not a stable that lacks for talent or ambition. Mister Coffey has spent most of his career in Class 2 races — some of the better contests in Britain — without ever quite crossing the line first. Nine runs at that level, nine times finishing without a win. His most regular partner, jockey Nico de Boinville, has ridden him 11 times and they have not won together once. By the cold numbers, that is a frustrating record.

But here is what makes Mister Coffey genuinely interesting. A couple of seasons ago, things got so bad after a run in the Grand National that Henderson felt the horse had simply been emptied by the experience — burned out, in plain terms. It took a long time to bring him back. When he did return, the team tried something different: cross-country races, obstacle courses that wind through fields and ditch jumps rather than the usual track. And Mister Coffey, quite suddenly, came alive. He finished second twice. He ran fifth at the Cheltenham Festival, the biggest meeting of the jump racing year. Henderson has said the horse has always wanted two things — three miles of racing and a left-handed track — and when he finally got both together at Cheltenham, he was, in the trainer's words, "as straight as a gun barrel."

After a strong run at Aintree, Henderson admitted that for a moment he thought they might actually have won the race. They had not, but De Boinville reportedly said Mister Coffey was unbelievable that day. The Grand National remains the dream — Henderson has hinted as much — and a horse who stays, jumps, and seems to get better when the conditions suit him is exactly the type that race is made for.

He last raced 41 days ago and has had a short break. The places keep coming. The win has not. But at 11, with the right race on the right day, Mister Coffey still has believers.