Staff Sergeant Len

The recent form tells a familiar story. Two sixth-place finishes, then two thirds, then two runs where he didn't complete — a sequence that captures the frustrating unpredictability that has defined his career so far. The pair of placed efforts show there is some ability in there, but converting that into an actual win has proved stubbornly beyond him.

At Class 5 — the entry-level tier of British racing, where horses are generally competing for modest prize money against similar types — Staff Sergeant Len has run eight times and won precisely none of them. That is a record of 0 from 8 at a level specifically designed to give horses like him a chance. For context, if you went to the pub eight times hoping to win the quiz, you'd expect at least one decent night. He hasn't had one yet.

He is trained by Neil Mulholland at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire, and it is worth saying that the yard itself is in fine form — 61 winners sent out this season is a genuinely strong return, suggesting the operation knows what it is doing. The fact that Staff Sergeant Len remains winless is not for want of capable handling. He has raced as recently as nine days ago, so this is very much an ongoing project rather than a horse winding down.

Whether a first win ever comes is the question. Some horses find their moment late, clicking into gear when everything finally aligns. Others just keep finishing third. Staff Sergeant Len, for now, sits firmly in the category of horses that are more enjoyable to watch than to back — but with a busy yard behind him and races clearly still to come, the story is not finished yet.