Yermanthere

Away from ideal conditions, though, Yermanthere is a different proposition. He has won only 5 races from 42 starts over his career—roughly 1 win in every 8 races—and at Class 4 level, his usual home, he has managed just 1 win from 11 races. His recent form shows plenty of effort but little consistency: he was first just last week, placed sixth a few days before that, then second and second again. It is the profile of a horse with a real best when circumstances align. Luke McAteer, his most frequent jockey, has partnered him to 1 win from 5 rides, a 20% win rate together that suggests they work well as a combination.

Ripon appears to be his course. He has won 2 of his 4 races there, a significantly higher return than anywhere else in his record. That win this week, fresh as it is, shows there is still life in him as an eight-year-old, and with the right ground and the right opportunity, Yermanthere remains capable of winning. For a horse that has earned relatively modest prize money over his career, he has found a groove where he can compete. It just requires patience, the way his trainer has learned to apply it.