Dark Issue

What stands out is that maiden victory at Goodwood back in spring. For a 2-year-old, winning a first race is always significant, and Goodwood is a respectable track. Since then, though, Dark Issue has been up and down. It ran a decent second not long ago but then finished eighth, which is the kind of slip that worries trainers. The most recent outing, just yesterday, was a fourth-place finish — not disastrous, but not encouraging either. There's a horse here with some ability, trained by R Hannon's yard at Herridge in Wiltshire, a stable that has sent out 118 winners this season so the infrastructure is solid. Whether Dark Issue develops into something better or remains a moderate 2-year-old is the question hanging over it. At this stage, it is very much a work in progress.