Borjina

The recent form tells a familiar story for a horse still finding its feet. Last time out, Borjina finished fourth, and before that came a third and a fifth. There have been two runner-up finishes mixed in, which shows the horse can get competitive and run respectably on its day, but consistency has been elusive. Edward Bethell, the trainer at Middleham in North Yorkshire, runs a powerful operation—the yard has already sent out 61 winners this season—so Borjina will have had plenty of proper racing against decent competition. That context matters: beating moderate fields is one thing, but holding your own in a Bethell yard means you are racing against decent horses.

Borjina raced just a day ago and is still actively campaigned, which means the trainer clearly has plans for it. The hope will be that the horse is building towards better form and that the April success can be repeated. At three years old, there is still time for improvement, and a couple of decent placings suggest Borjina has the ability to get off the mark again. The gap since that last win is a reminder, though, that this is a horse that will need to prove it can handle whatever level it is being aimed at.