Jack Dempsey

Trained by Ian Duncan at his yard in Coylton, Ayrshire, Jack Dempsey typically lines up in Class 4 races — the fourth tier of British racing, a solid but unspectacular level where horses are expected to be competitive without being stars. At that level, the horse has run three times without winning any of them. Duncan's yard has sent out nine winners this season, so the operation clearly knows how to get a horse across the line — the puzzle is finding the right opportunity for this one.

The honest truth is that zero wins from nine races is a tough ledger to look at, and the recent form offers little sign that a breakthrough is imminent. That said, horses can surprise you. One finish in the frame from nine attempts at least tells you the ability is somewhere in there, even if it has been stubbornly reluctant to show itself on a racecourse. For now, Jack Dempsey is a horse that keeps turning up — and in racing, sometimes that persistence is eventually rewarded.