El Loco

What gives the situation some hope is who is doing the training. David Simcock's yard in Newmarket has sent out 39 winners already this season, which is a serious operation by any measure. Newmarket is essentially the headquarters of British flat racing — the town exists almost entirely around horses — and trainers based there tend to work with animals that have genuine potential. Simcock is not a trainer who fills his boxes with also-rans. The fact that El Loco is in his care at all suggests the team believes there is more to come.

El Loco raced just yesterday, so it is very much a horse in the middle of its story rather than at the end of it. Three races at three years old is still early days — plenty of horses take time to figure out what is being asked of them before something clicks. Whether that moment arrives for this one remains to be seen, but with a strong yard behind it and youth on its side, it would be premature to write El Loco off just yet.