Lady Buttercup

That one win came at Warwick in September 2024, and it remains the defining moment of her career so far. It was over two miles or more — her preferred territory — and it showed what she can do when everything clicks. The problem is that it was 19 months ago, and her last six runs have produced finishes of 3rd, 5th, 10th, 5th, 4th, and 7th. There are glimpses in there — a third place is not nothing — but the wins have dried up entirely.

She is trained by Donald McCain at his yard in Cholmondeley, Cheshire, one of the more respected operations in the north of England. McCain's team has sent out 55 winners already this season, which tells you this is not a small or struggling outfit. When a yard of that size keeps running a horse, it usually means they can see something worth persevering with. Her most regular jockey is Charlie Maggs, who has ridden her five times and won once — that is a 20% win rate together, which is actually her best partnership record, even if the sample size is small.

Lady Buttercup typically runs at Class 5, the entry level of British racing, and her record there is 1 win from 8 races. She handles longer trips best, and her numbers over two miles-plus — 1 win from 6 races, or roughly 1 in 6 — are the most encouraging part of her profile. For a horse at this level, winning 1 in 6 over her best distance is perfectly respectable. The trick is getting all the right pieces in place on the same day. It has happened once. McCain's yard clearly thinks it can happen again.