Gone By

What is worth noting is the trainer pulling the strings. Ralph Beckett, based at Kimpton in Hampshire, has sent out 111 winners this season alone — a figure that puts his yard firmly among the most productive operations in Britain. Horses that come through Beckett's setup tend to be well-prepared and patiently handled, so the fact that Gone By is now returning after a break of around five months will not have been a decision taken lightly. When a yard of that quality brings a horse back from a long absence, it usually means they believe there is something worth running for.

Gone By returns with zero wins but one quiet promise. Whether that second-place finish was a sign of things to come, or just a decent debut in a field that had a better horse in it on the day, the next run will tell us a great deal more.