Anglesey Lad

And close calls is exactly what they are. Dixon is candid about the frustration: his horse has finished second three times in his last four outings, including a run at Brighton last week where, by the trainer's own assessment, he was unlucky not to win. The introduction of blinkers — a piece of headgear designed to sharpen a horse's focus and stop it from switching off — helped him get more switched on earlier in the race, which has been a persistent problem. Without them, Anglesey Lad has simply taken too long to find his rhythm and the race has gone before he gets going.

Dixon also believes the horse has been running over the wrong distance. Five furlongs, he says, is too sharp for Anglesey Lad — it is over in about a minute, and a horse that needs time to warm up has almost no chance. Moving up to six furlongs on a more galloping, open track should give him more time to build into his race and use his stride properly. There is also the matter of his rating: Dixon reckons Anglesey Lad is a 65-rated horse on his best days, but is currently competing off a mark of 54, which in practical terms means he has more ability than he is being asked to prove at this level.

Most of his racing has come at Class 6, the lowest tier of British flat racing — modest company where a horse of his supposed ability, on paper at least, should be winning. He has not, and that remains the uncomfortable truth. Jockey Laura Pearson has partnered him in six of those races without a win between them. The combination has shown plenty of promise without the finishing touch.

Whether the penny finally drops depends on getting the conditions right. Dixon clearly believes the talent is there. Anglesey Lad just needs everything to click at once — the distance, the track, the moment. Racing is full of horses waiting for exactly that.