Renoir

The Clarke yard has had a productive season, sending out 13 winners, and Renoir fits the profile of a horse they believe in even if the results have tested that faith. His most recent win came at Hereford in March 2025 — now over a year ago — and in the six races since, his form reads 3-5-4-3-7-6 (most recent last), meaning he is running into places occasionally but not converting. The majority of his races have come at Class 4 level, one step down from the top tier, but notably he has yet to win in seven attempts at that grade. That is the kind of statistic that makes you wonder whether the conditions or the distance simply haven't clicked for him yet.

His most regular partner in the saddle is Rex Dingle, who has ridden him five times and won once — a win rate of 20%, or 1 in 5, which is actually the best strike any jockey has managed on him. That one victory gives the partnership something to build on. Trainer Ben Clarke has spoken about what he believes this horse needs: a strong pace and a decent surface — not wet or muddy ground — and he thinks a track like Taunton could genuinely suit him. Clarke also points to Renoir's breeding, being by Nathaniel, a sire he rates highly, as a reason for continued optimism.

What makes Renoir worth watching is that the trainer clearly feels the horse's best days are still ahead of him, and there is just enough in the record — two wins, eight places, a yard with momentum — to think that the right race on the right day could unlock something. He is not a star, but he is active, he is consistent enough to keep appearing in the frame, and the team around him have not given up. Sometimes that is all a horse needs.