Elfride

Most of her career has been spent at Class 5 level, which is the bread-and-butter tier of British racing — competitive enough, but a long way from the glamour of the top races. Even there, she has won just 1 from 20 at that level, a rate of around 5%, which means the yard has been waiting patiently for lightning to strike twice. Her regular jockey Harry Atkins has partnered her eight times without a win between them, a combination that has yet to find the right day.

Elfride is trained by Richard Phillips, whose small yard in Adlestrop in Gloucestershire has sent out three winners this season — modest numbers, but proof the operation can get a horse to the track in winning form. She raced just yesterday, so she is clearly still an active part of the string rather than a horse being wound down. At ten years old and with a career record that reads more like a study in near-misses than a triumph reel, she is the sort of horse who keeps turning up and keeps asking the question. The answer has only come once so far, but then it only needs to come once more to make the whole thing worthwhile.