Frank Stamper

The recent form tells an interesting story. In the last six races, Frank Stamper has finished second twice, which means on two separate occasions another horse simply beat it to the post by a matter of strides. That is maddening for everyone involved, but it also tells you this isn't a horse drifting around at the back of the field. Second place pays nothing, but it does suggest the ability is there, somewhere, waiting for the right day.

The partnership with jockey James Bowen has been given a decent run — five races together — and still hasn't produced a win. At some point, that combination either clicks or changes. For now, they are searching for the same breakthrough together. Trainer Warren Greatrex, based at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, is no stranger to winners — the yard has sent out 50 of them this season alone, which is a serious operation. Frank Stamper, then, is not short of professional support. The infrastructure around this horse is solid; the results just haven't followed yet.

Most of Frank Stamper's races have come at Class 5 level, which is the entry-level tier of British racing — the kind of races specifically designed to give horses like this a chance to win. Eight races at that level, zero wins, is a genuinely puzzling statistic. This is the category where Frank Stamper should, in theory, be most competitive. The fact that it hasn't converted yet makes every run a fresh riddle. Having raced just one day ago, this is a horse very much still in the thick of its season, and with a trainer firing out winners at a healthy rate, the hope inside that yard will be that the breakthrough is close. Whether Frank Stamper agrees remains to be seen.