Jowalla

The recent form tells a familiar story of gradual regression. A second-place finish sits at the back end of that six-race sequence, but the numbers since then — 6, 7, 9, 9, 12 — show a horse drifting further down the field rather than building on that near-miss. Whether that reflects the level of competition stepping up, a horse still finding its feet, or something more persistent is the question the trainer will be asking.

That trainer is Tom Dascombe, operating out of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire. The yard has sent out 22 winners already this season, which tells you this is a stable that knows how to get horses ready to win. The fact that Jowalla hasn't broken through yet isn't a reflection on the operation — some horses just take longer to find their moment. Dascombe will have seen plenty of slow burners in his time. Jowalla raced just one day ago, so clearly the team believes there is something still worth running for.

At three, with eight races already under its belt, Jowalla is not exactly an unknown quantity. But zero from eight does mean that first win, when and if it comes, will have been genuinely earned.