Rockin' The Boat

What makes that Leicester win worth noting is the context of the recent form. Looking at the last six races — fourth, third, fourth, second, fourth, then the win — there's a horse that has been creeping closer. The two finishes immediately before the victory were a second and a third, which in hindsight look like a horse finding its rhythm and building towards something. It delivered.

The trickier picture is at the top level. In three races at Class 2 — some of the better races in Britain — Rockin' The Boat has yet to win, going 0 from 3. That's a small sample, but it suggests the horse is more comfortable when it steps slightly below that company, which is no criticism; plenty of solid racehorses find their level and thrive there. Trainer David Menuisier, whose yard in Pulborough, West Sussex, has sent out 20 winners already this season, clearly knows where this horse can be competitive. Getting it to Leicester and winning is exactly the kind of placement decision that good trainers make look straightforward.

At just 4 years old, Rockin' The Boat is still relatively early in its career. Nine races in, with a win now on the board and a yard in fine form around it, there's every reason to think the Leicester success isn't the end of the story — though what comes next, particularly whether Menuisier tests it at the higher level again, will tell us a lot about where the team believes the horse genuinely belongs.