Burgeon

The recent form tells a consistent story: a ninth, two fifths, a sixth, and a pulled-up run make up the last five races, with the most recent coming just yesterday. There is no upward curve to point to, no near-miss to get excited about. At Class 4 level — the kind of races where horses are supposed to be finding their feet rather than being tested at the sharp end — Burgeon has gone 0 from 3, which suggests this is not simply a horse waiting for easier opportunities.

That said, the yard at Stow-on-the-Wold has shown it knows how to get horses winning. David Killahena and Graeme McPherson have sent out 18 winners already this season, so the training operation clearly has ability. Burgeon, for now, remains the project rather than the proof.