Melody de Vega

Her recent form tells a mixed story. In her last six races, she has been placed three times — third, second, and eighth finishes — which shows she can find her feet again, but the eighth-place run most recently raises questions about whether she is struggling to handle the demands of her racing level. Trainer Tom Ward, based at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, has had a decent season with 14 winners sent out from his yard, so Melody de Vega is in a stable that knows how to get horses to the post in good order. The puzzle is why she has stalled since July, particularly given she holds a Class 5 record of zero wins from three races at that level — her win came at a lower grade, and stepping up in class has not worked out so far.

Hollie Doyle, one of the sport's most accomplished jockeys, has ridden her five times without a win, which is neither alarming nor encouraging. What matters now is whether Ward and his team can identify what is holding Melody de Vega back — whether she needs a drop in class, a change of tactics, or simply a bit more time to mature. At 3 years old and still lightly raced, there is time to find another winning performance. She raced just a day ago, so the yard clearly believes there is something worth chasing, even if the signs on paper have been modest so far.