Far Far Out

What does add genuine intrigue here is the yard behind this horse. Roger Varian is one of the most respected trainers in British racing, operating out of Newmarket — the spiritual home of the sport in this country — and his team has sent out 87 winners already this season. That is a serious number. It means Varian isn't placing horses hopefully and crossing his fingers; he runs a high-functioning operation that gets results. When a horse from this yard hasn't clicked yet, it's at least worth asking whether the trainer sees something that the form book doesn't yet reflect.

The most encouraging detail in Far Far Out's recent record is the step up to fifth place in the most recent outing — an improvement on those two eighths, however modest it might sound. With a race as recently as yesterday, this is a horse still very much in the middle of its story. Whether that trajectory continues upward, or stalls, is the question the next few runs will answer.