Uncle Don

That Beverley win is worth holding onto as a reference point. It shows he can cross the line first when conditions suit, and the fact that he keeps getting placed — finishing second as recently as his second-to-last run — suggests there's still something there. His recent sequence reads 5-2-7-4-6-3, which is a mixed picture: a second place and a third sandwiched around some less convincing efforts. He raced just yesterday, which means he's right in the thick of an active campaign.

Part of the puzzle with Uncle Don may be the level he's been asked to race at. He's run five times in Class 3 races — a solid, competitive tier — without winning any of them, a record of 0 from 5. That's not a disgrace, but it does suggest he may be most dangerous when dropped into slightly easier company, where that Beverley win came from. Finding the right race at the right track could be the key.

He's trained by Robert Cowell, one of Newmarket's established names, and a yard that has sent out 24 winners this season — so this is clearly a stable capable of getting horses ready to win. His regular jockey is Oisin Orr, who has been on board for six of his races and has one win together, a win rate of around 1 in 6. That's not a rich partnership on paper, but there's clearly enough faith in the combination to keep them together. The combination of an active trainer, a consistent jockey, and a horse with a known winning track gives Uncle Don's followers enough reason to keep watching.