Head Girl

That single victory came at Beverley on 28 July, and five weeks on it remains her only success. What stands out, though, is what happened next. In her last six races Head Girl has picked up two placed finishes — a second and a third — alongside three ninth-place efforts. The form is jagged, which is frustrating, but the consistency of her good runs at distance work is worth watching. Over 1m6f to 2m she has won once from four attempts, a 25 per cent win rate that significantly outperforms her overall record of 1 win from 8 races. Shorter distances have brought nothing but trouble; she clearly needs room to run and time to find her rhythm.

Jonathan Portman trains her at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, a yard that has been sending out winners all season — 46 of them already — so she is in a stable capable of getting horses to the track right. She raced only yesterday, so the yard are keeping her active, testing different opportunities. At three, with a win on her record and the beginnings of a pattern emerging at the longer distances, Head Girl is a horse that might surprise over the coming weeks if Portman can find her the right race. Right now she is a work in progress, but that Beverley win proves the ability is there.