Peaky Boy

That Cheltenham record matters because it tells you this is not a horse who has stumbled into a couple of wins against weak fields. Class 2 races are competitive, well-funded events, and winning two of them at the same prestigious venue suggests a genuine affinity. His career earnings sit at a level that reflects consistent performance at a decent standard, and on normal ground he wins half his races — 2 from 4 — which is a remarkable ratio for any horse running regularly.

The honest caveat is that Peaky Boy has not won in his last six races, and the most recent form figures — finishing third, tenth, and twelfth in the last three completed runs — do not make pretty reading. His trainer has been candid about why: the horse was not quite right in the spring and suffered a setback in the autumn. That context is important. Horses who hit a rough patch for physical reasons can absolutely come back to their best, and O'Neill's yard has sent out 52 winners this season alone, so this is a team who know how to get a horse back to form.

The last win on record came at Cheltenham in November 2024, now 18 months ago, and the yard has flagged that longer trips — three miles — and better ground are likely the direction of travel when he is ready to return. Given his history at Cheltenham and the fact that his trainer believes there is still plenty of improvement to come, the case for patience seems reasonable. When he lines up again, the track to watch for is the one he already knows best.