Parramount

The numbers that flatter him most are those over long distances. Across trips of two miles and beyond, he has won 3 from 11 races — that is 27%, or better than 1 in every 4. That is a genuinely strong record for a horse of his level, and it suggests he is at his best when a race stretches him. Most of his career, though, has been spent in Class 4 company — solid mid-table racing rather than the big occasions — and at that level he has won just 1 from 14, which is a fairly thin return.

His best partnership has been with jockey Aidan Coleman, who has ridden him to 2 wins from just 5 races together — a 40% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall record. Coleman himself was enthusiastic after one of those wins, suggesting that like other horses in the family, Parramount would improve significantly once switched to jumping fences rather than hurdles. Charlie Longsdon had echoed that view early in the horse's career, describing him as a big, leggy type always likely to come into his own over bigger obstacles. Longsdon also noted at one stage that Parramount had more raw speed than his sister Snow Leopardess — no small compliment given how well regarded she was.

Longsdon's yard has been in good form this season, sending out 33 winners, so the operation is ticking along nicely. Whether Parramount can add to his tally of four wins is the question. He is not an old horse by racing standards — ten is veteran territory but not unheard of for an active competitor — and his recent form figures include a second and a third, so he is finding the frame if not the winners' enclosure. For now, he remains a reliable and honest performer rather than a headline act.