Grilse

That said, context matters. Brian Meehan's operation in Wiltshire has sent out 12 winners already this season, which tells you this is a yard that knows how to get horses running well. Meehan is an experienced trainer with a long record at the top level, so Grilse is at least in capable hands. The question is whether the horse can find the kind of improvement that turns a winless three-race record into something worth watching.

A fifth-place finish in the middle run hints there may be a little ability lurking — finishing fifth is at least competitive in a way that 10th and 7th are not. Whether that represents a flash of promise or just a weaker field on the day is hard to say without more to go on. What is clear is that Grilse raced just yesterday and remains active, so the team clearly hasn't given up. Sometimes it just takes time to find the right race.