No wins from four attempts is a straightforward record, and there is no point dressing it up as anything more than it is. What matters now is whether those two placed efforts represent a horse on the way up, or just the occasional flash of form. The fact that Saint Of The Sea raced just yesterday means the team clearly has it in good shape and is keeping it busy, which is often how yards build momentum with a young horse still learning the job.
That yard is trained by Michael Appleby, based in Oakham, Rutland, and he has had a productive season — 74 winners sent out already, which is a serious body of work and marks him out as one of the more active and effective trainers operating outside the top yards. A trainer hitting those numbers typically knows how to place a horse shrewdly, finding the right race at the right moment, and Saint Of The Sea will presumably be getting that same careful handling as Appleby looks for the opportunity to get it off the mark.
At three years old, there is plenty of time. Some horses take a handful of races just to work out what is being asked of them, and two placed finishes from four runs is not a bad foundation. The next few weeks will tell a lot about whether Saint Of The Sea is a horse quietly building towards a win, or one still searching for its level.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwell Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 third | 21 Mar | 0% |
| Newbury Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 10 Jul | 0% |
| Nottingham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 8 Apr | 0% |