Arbaawy

What makes that consistency more impressive is where it is happening. Four of Arbaawy's races have come at Class 2 level — that is one of the top tiers of racing in Britain — and it has held its own in all of them without a win to show for it. Finishing placed at that level repeatedly is genuinely hard. Many horses never compete at Class 2 at all. The frustration for everyone involved is that the results suggest the horse belongs in that company, even if the winner's enclosure has so far remained out of reach.

Arbaawy runs out of John Butler's yard in Newmarket, one of the heartbeats of British racing, and Butler has had a productive season — 39 winners sent out this season is a meaningful number, showing a yard in form and operating confidently. The fact that Arbaawy raced just one day ago and is still active underlines that the team clearly believes there is a race to be won here. With six places from eleven races and a pattern of finishing close rather than trailing home, it would be a brave person to write this one off.