Mudamer

The rest of the picture is less rosy. In Class 4 races, where Mudaker spends most of its time, it wins roughly 1 in every 9 attempts — solid enough for that level, but not spectacular. Over its last six runs, which includes the race just yesterday, there's been nothing but places and one eleventh. The most recent outing showed a third-place finish, which suggests the horse is still competitive but hasn't found the form that led to that Catterick Bridge win eleven months ago. Ridden most often by Sam James, the partnership has managed just one win from 11 races together, so there may be chemistry issues or simply that the horse has been heading the wrong way.

Geoffrey Harker's Thirkleby yard has had a modest season, sending out 5 winners, and Mudamer represents steady rather than thrilling ammunition. For the yard to get the best from this one, Catterick Bridge beckons as the obvious place to target. It's the track where everything clicks, and a horse that wins two out of three times somewhere deserves another trip there when circumstances allow.