Fabhcun

The recent form makes for tough reading. Finishing fifth twice and pulling up on three other occasions suggests Fabhcun is either still finding its feet or simply struggling to match the level it has been pitched against. A horse that has been pulled up three times in five races is a concern — those are not near-misses, they are races where the horse did not finish at all.

What works in Fabhcun's favour, at least on paper, is the person responsible for its training. Gordon Elliott's yard at Longwood in County Meath is one of the most powerful operations in racing, and this season alone it has sent out 210 winners. That is a staggering number — an average of roughly four winners every single week. Elliott regularly prepares horses for the very biggest occasions in the sport, so Fabhcun is at least learning its trade in serious, professional hands. Whether that environment can unlock something better from this horse remains to be seen, but if there is ability there, Elliott's team are well placed to find it.

For now, Fabhcun is a horse in search of its first moment. Five races in and still waiting — but still racing, and still in the care of a yard that knows how to turn things around.