Noble Recall

That recent win matters. Before Wednesday, Noble Recall had been second, fourth, and fifth in its last four races, the kind of run that might lead some trainers to think the horse was heading backwards. But Anthony Day's yard got it back in the winner's enclosure, which suggests there is still something left in the tank. The horse typically races at Class 5 level — the lower rungs of British racing — where it has won one of every seven races entered. Those are not spectacular odds, but they are good enough to keep it competitive.

Where Noble Recall's story becomes slightly puzzling is in its partnership with jockey Harriet Tucker, who has ridden it ten times but won only once. That 10 per cent win rate is well below the horse's overall average, which hints either at bad luck or that different riders may bring out more from it. Still, for a seven-year-old battler at this level, Noble Recall has earned its place in the racing calendar, and a win fresh in the mind is always a reason to hope for more.