Footstepinthewoods

At just three years old, there is plenty of time for things to click. Young horses often need several runs before they start to figure out what racing actually asks of them, and a horse with only three races under its belt is genuinely still learning the job.

What does offer some encouragement is the yard behind it. Emma Lavelle, based at Ogbourne Maizey in Wiltshire, has sent out 45 winners already this season — that is the output of a trainer who knows how to get horses ready to win. Lavelle is not a name associated with running horses just to make up the numbers, which suggests the team still believe there is a race to be won with this one when the right opportunity comes along. Whether Footstepinthewoods can deliver on that confidence, having raced just yesterday, remains to be seen — but with a capable yard in its corner and youth on its side, it would be too soon to write it off entirely.