Elashgar

The recent form tells the story. In the last six outings, Elashgar has managed one third place, one second place, and a host of finishes outside the frame. Most concerning is the second place finish, which came some time ago now; the more recent races suggest the horse is drifting backwards rather than finding its way. The horse was last seen a day ago, so it remains active and the Frosts are clearly still looking for that breakthrough.

Kevin and Lauren Frost train from Averham Park in Nottinghamshire, a modest operation that has had three winners this season. They are not running a high-powered yard, so expectations for Elashgar may be proportionate to that level. What is worth noting is that when Elashgar steps into Class 4 races—the kind of competitive middle-ground contests where many three-year-olds learn their trade—it has managed zero wins from three attempts. Those are the races it should theoretically be capable of winning by now. Without a victory at this level, Elashgar faces an uncomfortable reality: it may simply not be quite good enough, and patience is starting to wear thin.