Jay Bee Whiskey

The recent form tells a story of consistent mid-pack finishes — a sixth, a fourth, a fifth — which suggests Jay Bee Whiskey isn't being embarrassed out there, but isn't troubling the horses that matter either. Finishing fourth and fifth sounds respectable until you realise it has done it five times without once getting its nose in front or even into the places where prize money is paid. In racing terms, that is a horse that keeps showing up and keeps falling just short of anything to show for it.

The 15-month absence is the biggest question mark hanging over this profile. Horses miss time for all sorts of reasons, and without knowing why, it's impossible to say whether Jay Bee Whiskey returns a fresh and revitalised nine-year-old or simply one that has been difficult to keep sound. At nine, horses are often well past their peak, so a long layoff at this stage of a career that has never got going is a tough combination.

Trainer Barry Brennan operates out of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, a village that sits at the heart of British racing and is home to some seriously accomplished yards. Brennan's team has sent out 7 winners this season, which shows the yard is capable of getting horses ready to win. Whether Jay Bee Whiskey is the horse to add to that tally is another matter entirely.