Arcon

The Haydock win came over the longer distances where Arcon does his best work — somewhere between a mile and six furlongs and two miles. In eight races at that range, he has won once, which works out at roughly 1 in every 8, or 12%. That is not a dominant record, but it is noticeably better than what he manages elsewhere, which suggests he genuinely needs that extra ground to stretch his legs and find his rhythm. Stamina appears to be his friend.

His recent form makes for sobering reading — finishing sixth, sixth, sixth, and eighth in his last four outings — but he is still very much in training and raced just one day ago, so Jennie Candlish's yard clearly hasn't given up on him. Candlish, based in Basford, Staffordshire, has had a productive season with 64 winners sent out, which means this is a yard that knows how to get horses winning. Arcon has yet to repay that faith consistently, but the infrastructure around him is solid.

He tends to compete at Class 5 level, which is the entry-level tier of British racing — the kind of races designed for horses who are honest and consistent without being stars. At that level, he has won 1 from 6, or about 1 in every 6 races, giving him a 17% win rate in those contests. That is actually a respectable return at any level, and it tells you that when conditions suit him — right trip, right class — Arcon is capable of getting his nose in front. The challenge is that those moments have been frustratingly rare. Whether that Haydock win turns out to be a turning point or a one-off high point is the question worth watching.