Honey Dale

The recent form offers a faint flicker of encouragement. That fifth-place finish two races ago, and another fifth before that, at least suggests Honey Dale is starting to run more consistently in the middle of the field rather than trailing at the back. A finish of second last time but one shows there is some ability in there — the trick now is turning that into something more tangible. With a race just yesterday, the team clearly believes there is more to come and is giving this horse plenty of opportunities to figure it out.

Jockey Rory Mulligan — likely a relation of trainer Paul — has been aboard for five of those ten races without a win to show for it, which means the pair know each other's rhythms well by now, even if the results haven't followed. Paul Mulligan's yard has managed one winner so far this season, so Honey Dale breaking through would be a meaningful moment for the whole team. For a three-year-old still learning the job, patience is everything — and it is clear this yard is willing to show it.