Mr Macartney

That sole victory came at Leicester back on 25 April, and it remains the defining moment of his career so far. Since then, his form has dipped — finishing seventh, sixth, and seventh in his three most recent races — which suggests he may still be figuring things out, or perhaps finding that the standard of his opponents has risen since that winning day. One good run can attract attention, and attention often means tougher competition next time. He did race just yesterday, so the yard will be watching closely to see how he bounces back.

He is trained by Oli Rix, based out of Newmarket in Suffolk — the spiritual home of British flat racing, a town where the sport is practically in the water supply. Rix has sent out three winners from the yard this season, a modest but meaningful total that shows the operation is ticking over. For a young horse still learning the ropes, being in patient, competent hands matters enormously.

Mr Macartney is very much a horse with more questions than answers at this stage, and that is not a criticism — it is simply the reality of being two years old and five races into a career that could go in almost any direction. The Leicester win proved he can do it. What comes next will tell us a great deal more.