Blue Birdie

What works in Blue Birdie's favour, at least on paper, is the yard it calls home. Trainer Tony Carroll, based in Cropthorne, Worcestershire, has sent out 136 winners already this season — a remarkable volume that speaks to a busy, well-organised operation with horses running at all levels. Carroll is the kind of trainer who keeps horses active and finds the right opportunities for them, so the fact that Blue Birdie keeps getting a run suggests the team still believes there is something worth drawing out. Whether that patience is rewarded remains to be seen.

For now, Blue Birdie is a horse in search of its first breakthrough. Three-year-olds can take time to find their feet, and not every horse clicks straight away. But five races without even a placed finish means it needs to show something new, and soon.