Slay Queen

Both victories came at Class 4 level, which represents the middle tier of British racing — competitive enough to mean something, but not yet the very top. What stands out is how dominant she has been at that level: 2 wins from just 4 races, a 50% win rate. Winning half your races at any level is genuinely impressive and suggests she is comfortably good enough for that company. Her first win came at Newbury in August, followed by a second at Goodwood in September — two well-regarded tracks with quality fields, so these aren't flukes against weak opposition.

The recent form figures do demand a mention. Reading right to left, her last six races read 1-1-21-7-5-10, meaning she won back-to-back before a string of disappointing efforts. A finish of 21st is a long way back, and the run of 7s and 5s that followed suggest she lost her way for a spell. Whether that was a dip in form, a change in conditions, or simply stiffer competition is hard to say — but the fact that she raced again just yesterday shows the team at least still have faith in her.

She is trained by Richard Hannon at his yard in Wiltshire, one of the most prolific operations in British racing. With 118 winners already sent out this season, Hannon's stable is not short of talent — which means Slay Queen has earned her place on merit. Regular jockey Joe Leavy has partnered her in six of her eight races, winning once together, a win rate of around 1 in 6, or roughly 17%. That's modest, but the partnership is clearly an established one and there may be more to come as the season develops.

At three years old, there is plenty of time for Slay Queen to build on those back-to-back wins and find more consistency. If she can rediscover the form that made her so impressive in late summer, she has every chance of adding to her record.