Penfolds Grange

The recent form tells a similar story. Looking at the last six runs — finishing ninth, third, sixth, second, and fourth (with one run missing from the record) — there is a horse that keeps finding itself in the mix without quite getting there. That second-place finish stands out as encouragingly close, but close only counts in horseshoes, and Penfolds Grange has now gone six races without a win.

What makes this tricky to read is the level at which it competes. Class 5 is towards the lower end of the racing ladder in Britain, and at that level Penfolds Grange has managed zero wins from six attempts — a record that will concern the team at Epsom. Trainer Mark Pattinson has sent out five winners this season, so the yard is clearly capable of getting horses to the line first. The question is whether Penfolds Grange can rediscover what it showed at Wolverhampton on that November evening nearly two years ago.

At just four years old, time is still on its side. Horses can take a while to mature and find their groove, and one win from 16 races does not tell the whole story when six of those runs have produced a placing. But the clock is ticking on that 20-month drought, and the team will be hoping a return to form comes sooner rather than later — ideally somewhere that suits it as well as Wolverhampton clearly did.