Echo Valley

What makes the picture slightly more interesting is the direction of travel. That second-place finish came most recently, and Echo Valley raced just yesterday — so this is a horse in active work, being kept busy by the yard. Whether the trainer Tom Symonds is hunting the right opportunity or simply building experience into a young horse, the recent uptick from double-figure finishes to a near-miss is at least something to hold onto.

Symonds, based at Hentland in Herefordshire, has sent out 11 winners already this season, which shows the yard knows how to get horses to the line first. Echo Valley has not been one of them yet, but at three years old there is still time. Young horses often need a run of races just to learn the job — the question is whether that second place signals a corner being turned, or whether it was simply a good day that has not yet been repeated.