Take The A Train

The level Take The A Train competes at is worth understanding. Class 6 is the entry level of British racing — these are the most accessible races on the calendar, designed for horses that haven't been able to win at higher levels. And yet even here, Take The A Train has drawn a blank in all four of its attempts at that grade. A horse winning at Class 6 wouldn't be headline news, but it would be a genuine marker of progress. That breakthrough is still waiting to happen.

The yard behind the horse is Gary Harrison's small operation based in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire. It's a modest set-up — Harrison's team has sent out just one winner so far this season — which gives some context to expectations. This isn't a powerhouse stable throwing resources at a promising prospect; it's a small yard doing what small yards do, finding races and hoping things click. Take The A Train raced just yesterday, so it is very much an active campaign, and there may well be more chances on the horizon. At four years old, it isn't ancient, and horses can and do find their feet. But right now, the record is what it is: zero wins, a couple of places, and a lot of near-misses that haven't quite been close enough.