Nevermindestranger

The recent run of form makes for sobering reading: finishing eighth, fifth, fourth, ninth, and seventh across the last five completed races, with a pulled-up run thrown in for good measure. That fourth-place finish offers perhaps the smallest crumb of comfort — at least briefly in contention — but the trend has not been pointing upward. Despite racing just yesterday, meaning the yard are clearly keeping the horse busy and in work, the results have not followed.

Alex Harvey has been the regular partner for this horse, riding together five times without a win to show for it. That is not necessarily a damning verdict on either horse or jockey — sometimes a pairing simply reflects the reality of where a horse is in its career rather than any mismatch of talent. But five attempts and no reward does suggest the combination has not yet found the answer. At nine years old and with the record standing as it does, Nevermindestranger would need something to change quite dramatically for that first win to arrive.