Carmel Valley

The recent form reads 1-12-8-7-3-2 across the last six races, a mixed picture that shows glimpses of ability alongside plenty of disappointment. The string of placings — second, third, seventh, eighth, twelfth — suggests Carmel Valley is capable of getting into the mix more often than it wins, but something is still missing. Trainer Katie Scott's yard at Galashiels has been in form this season with 17 winners, so the infrastructure is there to support improvement. What matters now is whether Carmel Valley can build on this week's success or whether it returns to the frustrating pattern of near-misses that has defined most of its career so far. It is actively racing, and at three years old there is time to find more wins at the distances that suit it best.