Politely

The real story is Politely's dependence on ground conditions. On normal, standard ground, the horse transforms: it has won 2 of its last 3 races on such surfaces, a win rate of roughly 67 percent. Move away from those ideal conditions and the form falls apart. This is a horse that needs the track to be neither too soft nor too firm—find those conditions, and Politely performs. That matters because such ground crops up regularly through the British racing calendar, and Owen Burrows's Lambourn yard—which has sent out 32 winners already this season—will be keenly aware of when to run.

Both wins came earlier in the season: the first at Lingfield Park back in March, then a second at Wolverhampton in mid-April. Since that April success five months ago, Politely has managed only a handful of placings, suggesting the horse may have found its level or simply needed the right ground again. A recent run just a day ago keeps the horse in active consideration, and with Burrows sending out winners at a healthy clip, there is reason to believe Politely could be next when conditions favour it. For a three-year-old with this profile, there is work still to be done—but on a good day, with the ground kind, this horse has shown it can win.