Bloodhound

Bloodhound typically runs in Class 6, the entry-level tier of British racing, and has gone 0 from 17 at that level. That matters, because Class 6 is precisely where horses like this are supposed to be competitive. These are not the glamour races — they are the workmanlike contests where modest horses can carve out a win or two. The fact that Bloodhound hasn't managed one in 17 attempts at this level is telling.

The partnership with jockey Miss Megan Jordan has featured in seven of those races together, again without a win. That's not unusual — plenty of combinations click eventually — but seven races is a reasonable sample, and the blank column next to both their names continues to grow. Shaun Lycett, who trains the horse from his yard in Leafield, Oxfordshire, has sent out two winners this season, so the operation is capable of finding the winner's enclosure. Bloodhound just hasn't been the one to do it yet.

The recent form shows a mix of mid-pack finishes — fourth and fifth positions cropping up regularly — with one run where the horse didn't complete the course, marked by a dash in the sequence. Racing 22 days ago and still active, there is clearly an appetite to keep trying. At six, Bloodhound isn't ancient, but time is no longer on its side either. What the form suggests is a horse that competes honestly without ever quite finding that extra gear when the race gets serious. For now, the search for a first win continues.