Nicely Curved

The pattern of recent form tells the story. In the last six races, Nicely Curved has finished third four times, ninth once, and fourth once—a run of narrow misses that would frustrate any owner. Those multiple third-place finishes hint at a horse that is doing most things right but running into slightly quicker opposition or getting caught in the final strides. Trainer Hayley Burton's Newmarket yard is small but productive, with seven winners sent out this season, so there is proper form in the stable. Whether Nicely Curved has the quality to break its duck remains to be seen, but at 6 years old and still racing after just eight outings, it has time to find that elusive victory.