Betty Clover

Since then, Betty Clover has not won in six runs, though she has shown glimpses of her ability with three places among them. A near-miss against Crimson Advocate—beaten by just a nose—and a third-place finish in a top-level race in France suggest she still belongs in good company. Her most recent outing, just a day ago, ended in 23rd place, but an earlier run saw her finish fourth, which hints she can still produce her best on her day.

The 4-year-old thrives on normal ground conditions, winning 2 of her 7 races there (29%), and performs best at the shorter distances between five and six-and-a-half furlongs. She has two wins from 21 races overall—not a spectacular record, but her Class 1 victory at York proves she can mix it at the top level when everything clicks. Johnson Houghton's yard at Blewbury is in fine form this season with 42 winners, and Dobie has won twice from ten rides on Betty Clover, suggesting real chemistry between jockey and horse. The challenge now is to rediscover that form and find another day when all the pieces come together.