Alfa Sea Breeze

The recent form figures tell a mixed story, though. That fifth place last time out follows a run of finishes that include a fourth and a fifth — so while the wins aren't coming, there are signs of modest improvement in running closer to the pace. A 4-year-old horse still has time to find its level, and getting competitive at the lower end of the racing ladder is usually the route to a breakthrough.

Ivan Furtado, based at Wiseton in South Yorkshire, trains the horse. Furtado's yard has sent out 34 winners this season, which is a solid body of work and suggests this isn't a stable short of ability — they know how to get a horse ready to win. Whether Alfa Sea Breeze can be the next one off the production line is the question. The fact it raced just yesterday shows the team are keeping it busy and in a rhythm, likely hunting the right opportunity.

At Class 5 level — the entry point of the sport, where most horses find it easiest to be competitive — Alfa Sea Breeze has drawn a blank in all three attempts. That's the honest part of this profile. It hasn't yet shown it can win even at the most accessible level available. But six races is still a relatively small sample, and horses can and do click into gear without much warning.