Dreamings Free

The recent form tells a slightly more complicated story, though not exactly an encouraging one. Reading backwards through the last six races — 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 12th, 9th, 7th — you can see a horse that showed genuine promise not too long ago, finishing second and then third in back-to-back races. Since then, however, it has drifted well back in the field, finishing no better than seventh across the four most recent outings. That kind of dip after a brief bright spell is frustrating to watch unfold.

Regular jockey Mr P J O'Neill has had plenty of opportunity to unlock something from this horse — nine races together — and the pair have yet to find the winner's enclosure. Nine attempts without a single win is a long run of near-misses and disappointments, and at some point the question has to be asked whether a change of approach might shake things loose. Dreamings Free has also raced five times at Class 4 level, which sits in the middle tier of British racing, and has not won any of those either.

Having raced just one day ago, the horse is clearly still being kept busy, which suggests the team around it hasn't given up. At seven, time is not exactly on Dreamings Free's side — horses at this age are generally well past their learning curve and should know what they're doing by now. Whether that elusive first win is still out there somewhere is the question keeping its yard going.