Racing Demon

The one bright spot is that Trevor Whelan gets the best out of it. The jockey has won 3 of his 9 races aboard Racing Demon—a 33% win rate—which is significantly better than the horse's overall record. That's the kind of partnership that deserves watching, because it suggests Whelan understands how to get this horse competitive. Trainer Ed de Giles, based at Ledbury in Herefordshire, has been steady rather than spectacular: the yard has sent out eight winners this season, a modest return that tells you it is not one of racing's powerhouses.

There is a slight edge available if the racing gods smile: Racing Demon has a weakness for dry, fast ground—it wins roughly 1 in every 5 or 6 races when conditions suit, compared with its overall rate—and it shows real affinity for Chepstow, where it has won twice from six races. Most of its wins have come at Class 6 level, where it manages about 1 win in 7 tries (3 from 22 races). In truth, though, this looks like a horse that is drifting gently downhill, unlikely to trouble serious punters but perhaps still capable of a surprise on a kind day with Whelan in the saddle and the ground firmly in its favour.