Sturlasson

At Southwell, he is a different animal entirely. Two wins from just four visits is a 50% win rate — half of every trip there ends in a victory, which is a quite extraordinary ratio for any racehorse at any level. For context, his overall record across 28 races is four wins; half of those came at a single track. His most recent win, just six months ago at Southwell, was a Class 2 race — one of the higher-tier events in British racing — so this is not just a horse who beats moderate rivals on a favourite track. He beats good ones there.

The short-distance sprint also suits him. Over less than five furlongs — a flat-out sprint, over almost before you have settled into your seat — he has won 2 of just 4 races, a 50% win rate that puts him among the most effective sprinters at his level when conditions are right. Normal ground suits him too: 2 wins from 6 races at 33%, compared to a much patchier record elsewhere.

Jockey Stevie Donohoe has clearly worked out how to get the best from him. Together they have won 2 of their 6 races — that is a 33% win rate, comfortably better than Sturlasson's overall figures, and a partnership worth watching. Trainer John Ryan, based in Newmarket, has had 11 winners from his yard this season, so the operation is in decent form, and Sturlasson appears to be one of its more reliable tools when pointed at the right target.

The recent form is encouraging. Reading the last six races from most recent first — 9, 2, 5, 4, 1, 2 — that win and runner-up sandwiching some quieter efforts tells the story of a horse finding his feet again. He raced just one day ago, so he is clearly fit and active. When Southwell and a sprint trip line up again, Sturlasson is the kind of horse a knowledgeable friend would quietly point out before the off.