Bizou

What makes Bizou's situation worth watching is the yard behind it. Portman's team has sent out 46 winners this season, which tells you this isn't a stable that struggles to get horses ready to perform — when they send one out, it often runs well. The fact that Bizou hasn't converted despite being part of a yard clearly in good form suggests either the right race hasn't come along yet, or there's a particular set of conditions still to be found that suits this horse.

The partnership with jockey Rob Hornby has been the most consistent thread through Bizou's career — five of their nine races together, and yet still no winner between them. That's not necessarily a damning statistic; some horses take time to mature and find their rhythm, and Hornby is an experienced rider who knows the horse well at this point. Recent form shows a second place finish in there — that "2" at the head of the last six runs — which means Bizou has been knocking on the door. A horse that finishes second has come close; the question is whether it can find the extra gear needed to get its nose in front.

Bizou has raced mainly at Class 5 level — the entry-level tier of British racing — going 0 from 4 at that grade. At some point, a horse that keeps placing without winning starts to raise a question: is it good enough to win at this level, or does it just lack a competitive edge at the finish? With nine races and no wins, that question is becoming harder to avoid. But Portman's yard is clearly firing, Hornby knows the horse, and that placed run recently shows it hasn't stopped trying. A winner could be closer than the bare numbers suggest.