Competing at Class 4 level — the middle tier of British racing — she has gone winless in all five races at that grade. That is a little concerning, because Class 4 is where a horse of her age and experience would be expected to find an opportunity sooner or later. She is six years old now, and while that is not ancient, she is approaching the stage where the yard need to see some return on their patience. Her recent form figures read 3-5-5-4-2-3, which show a horse who briefly looked like she might break through when finishing second two runs ago, only to slip back to third most recently.
She runs out of Justin Landy's yard in Leyburn, North Yorkshire — a smaller operation that has sent out three winners so far this season. That is a modest total, which means every runner carries a bit more significance for the team. Landy will know Lipstick Traces better than anyone, and the fact she raced just yesterday and is kept active suggests there is still belief in the camp that a winning opportunity is there to be found. Sometimes a horse just needs the right day, the right track, and the right field to line up. Lipstick Traces has not found all three at once yet — but she keeps showing up, and she keeps finishing in contention. That counts for something.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hexham Undulating |
2 | 1 second, 1 third | 10 May | 0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 31 Mar | 0% |
| Sedgefield Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 4 Sep | 0% |
| Kelso Undulating |
1 | 1 second | 25 May | 0% |
| Worcester Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 20 Aug | 0% |