STORMY GROVE

Five weeks ago, this horse completed a dirt trial over 1200m in (6-6-3), maintaining a straight course and exerting force to finish third. Four weeks prior, over the same distance, performance was below expectations; a slow start resulted in settling towards the rear, with a mid-race effort and a late run to secure fourth place, beaten by one and a half lengths. A subsequent barrier trial showed slight improvement. This time benefiting from a 1lb weight reduction, but facing a challenging outside draw alongside comparable times, even securing a good position tracking the leaders, it’s unlikely to find opportunities given stronger finishing speeds within the group.