Bunyola Bay

The wins themselves came at decent intervals: first at Doncaster in late April, then at Gowran Park two months later. Trainer Richard Hannon, who runs a powerful yard that has sent out 118 winners already this season, was upbeat about the horse's potential after that debut run, noting that Bunyola Bay had worked impressively at home and looked like one worth following. That early optimism hasn't fully translated into sustained results, however. The three months without a win is a telling gap for a three-year-old that should be hitting its peak.

With the horse still active and racing regularly, there is time yet for Bunyola Bay to find its feet again. But right now, it sits as a capable but inconsistent performer — capable of winning on its day, as those two victories prove, but prone to the kind of blank days that make racing punters tear their hair out.