Dragonflame

The level Dragonflame has been competing at is worth noting. Class 5 is the bread-and-butter tier of British racing — essentially the entry level for horses finding their feet. From six races at that level, it has still not managed a win, which is a real test of patience for the team. Winning 0 from 6 at any level starts to raise questions about whether the horse has the finishing gear to actually get there, or whether it is the sort that competes honestly without quite having that final kick when it counts.

Dragonflame is trained by the partnership of Tony Culhane and Stella Barclay, based at Garstang in Lancashire. The yard has sent out 6 winners this season, so they clearly know how to get a horse into the winner's enclosure — the challenge is finding the right opportunity to do the same for this one. For a 4-year-old still searching for that breakthrough, every race is another chance to finally break the duck, and the recent back-to-back placed efforts suggest there were moments where it looked possible. The question now is whether the team can place it in a spot where possible becomes probable.