Frankali

The recent form makes for difficult reading. Looking at the last six runs in reverse order, there were encouraging signs — a third-place finish and a fifth — but the most recent efforts have drifted back sharply, with finishes of eighth, tenth, seventh and tenth in that sequence. Racing at Class 6, which is the entry level of British racing, Frankali has gone 0 from 3 at that level. That is where horses of this profile tend to find their feet, so blanking there is a concern rather than a sign of a horse being tested above its station.

What softens that picture slightly is the trainer sending it out for. Ollie Sangster's Marlborough operation has been in fine form this season, sending out 42 winners — a figure that shows this is a yard with plenty of horses doing the right thing. The fact that Frankali raced just one day ago suggests the team are keeping it busy and actively hunting for that elusive first win, rather than stepping back and reassessing. Sometimes a horse just needs the stars to align: the right conditions, the right trip, the right day. Frankali hasn't found that day yet, but it is clearly still being given every chance to do so.