Ten Bob Tony

The Haydock win deserves a closer look. Class 1 races are among the very best in Britain, and Ten Bob Tony has only won 1 from 7 attempts at that level — about 1 in every 7. That might sound modest, but simply competing consistently at that standard marks him out as a serious horse. Winning one of those races outright is something many horses never manage. His assistant trainer Matty Hicks noted after the race that he has always performed well when fresh, that the decision to geld him has helped him mature, and that heading into last season he was getting close to being the finished article.

His most recent run, just a day ago, saw him finish eighth — but his trainer Ed Walker has offered some useful context. The race in question was the Gladness Stakes, run on very wet, testing ground, and Walker felt conditions worked heavily against him. He also pointed out that the winner had already had a run that season and was ridden far more aggressively, while Ten Bob Tony was held up and unable to get into the race. In other words, the bare result flatters to deceive.

Walker's yard at Upper Lambourn has been in superb form this season — 80 winners and counting — so Ten Bob Tony is operating in a confident, well-resourced environment. The trainer is now weighing up a step up to a mile, possibly targeting the bet365 Mile, which would be a fascinating next chapter for a horse who has shown he can handle the very best company. A mile would be new territory, but given how much he has grown up over the past year, there is every reason to think Ten Bob Tony has at least one more big day left in him.