Amerjeet

What the bare numbers do show is that Amerjeet isn't simply being beaten out of sight every time. Seven places from 26 races means it has finished in the frame — close enough to matter — on more than a quarter of its outings. The most recent run was just yesterday, and the last six results read 3rd, 2nd, 8th, 5th, 6th, 7th working backwards. That second place is a reminder that a winning opportunity has been close without materialising.

Amerjeet competes mainly in Class 5 company, which is the bread-and-butter level of British racing — the kind of race run on a Tuesday afternoon rather than a Saturday showcase. Even at that level, it has won just 1 of its 9 races, which is a modest return. Luke Morris, who has ridden the horse six times, has a better record in the saddle — winning 1 in every 6 of those rides together, which is actually a reasonable hit rate for a horse of this profile.

Trainer Michael Herrington operates out of Willoughton in Lincolnshire and has sent out 32 winners so far this season, which shows the yard knows how to find a race for its horses. The puzzle with Amerjeet is finding the right one. A horse that places regularly but rarely wins is often waiting for conditions to fall perfectly in its favour — and the team will be hoping that moment comes soon, given how long it has been since Lingfield delivered that solitary career highlight.