Barbuda Bay

The recent form makes for mixed reading. That second place came early in the sequence, and since then the results have drifted — finishing sixth, eighth, tenth, and eleventh in the most recent outing. A run of 11th just one day ago suggests this is a horse that the yard will be keen to find the right opportunity for sooner rather than later.

What gives reason for optimism is the trainer. Roger Teal's yard in Lambourn has sent out 22 winners already this season, which is a healthy return that speaks to a team in good form and confident in placing their horses where they can be competitive. Lambourn is one of British racing's most storied training villages, and a yard firing at that kind of rate tends to know what it's doing with a horse that hasn't quite found its feet yet. For Barbuda Bay, being in that environment at least means the support structure is strong — the question is simply when the pieces fall into place.