Our Hero Matty

The recent form makes for tough reading. Looking at the last six races, the numbers read 11-10-7-7-3-6 — a sequence that shows just one decent effort, a third-place finish, sandwiched between some pretty anonymous performances. Finishing tenth and eleventh suggests days where things simply haven't clicked, whether that's the pace of the race, the draw, or just one of those unexplained off days that every racehorse has. The third place is the one result to hold onto — it proves there's something there when conditions fall right.

Regular jockey Ben Robinson has been in the saddle for 7 of those 11 races without getting his head in front, which means the pair know each other well by now but are still searching for that breakthrough together. It's worth noting that Ellison's yard has sent out 43 winners this season, so this is clearly an operation that knows how to get horses winning — Our Hero Matty just hasn't been one of them yet.

The horse typically runs at Class 5 level, which represents the lower end of the competitive ladder in British racing — essentially the grade where horses are expected to be competitive rather than exceptional. With no wins from four races at that level, the challenge is finding the right opportunity. Racing just one day ago, Our Hero Matty is as active as it gets, and with a full season still ahead for a 3-year-old, there's time yet for that first winner's photograph.