Misemerald

The broader picture is more modest. A 9% win rate across 35 races means Misemerald wins roughly once every eleven attempts, and the recent form is mixed — a second place and a third place in the last six runs, but also a fifth and two fourths that hint at inconsistency. Where the horse really struggles is at the top level. In seven starts at Class 4, the highest grade it has faced, Misemerald has not won once. That tells you this is a solid, mid-tier performer rather than a sharp tool, and the yard knows it — trainer Philip Kirby, based in North Yorkshire and a handler with 36 winners already this season, has not been tempted to push the horse beyond its ceiling.

The one jarring note is the partnership with regular jockey Cam Hardie. Across nine races together, Hardie and Misemerald have managed no wins at all, a blank that suggests either the horse does not run well for him or he is simply not the right fit. With the horse still racing and the last outing only a day ago, there is every chance the team will try a different approach — a change of rider at the right distance might be all that stands between another Musselburgh moment and another day of finishing second or third.