Approaching Storm

That placed finish — a third — is the closest Approaching Storm has come to a win, and in racing terms it counts for very little on its own. What's mildly encouraging is that three of the last six finishes have been in the top five, suggesting the horse isn't simply making up the numbers. The double-figure finishes earlier in the sequence are harder to explain away, though — 13th and 11th aren't the kind of results you build a case on.

The horse runs out of Nick Gifford's yard in Findon, West Sussex, a stable that has already sent out 12 winners this season, so there's clearly no shortage of know-how in the team. Gifford is an experienced trainer and his yard has the tools to place a horse well. The question is whether Approaching Storm can translate those near-misses into something more — because right now, a horse that has placed once in six attempts is one still waiting for its moment.