Sears Crossing

The partnership with jockey Shane Foley is well established — they have been paired together five times — but that first win together remains elusive. Zero wins from five rides is a frustrating record, and at some point the team will want to see that consistency rewarded. To Foley's credit, Sears Crossing keeps finishing in the frame, so the issue is not a lack of effort or ability — it simply has not found the right race to break through.

What gives genuine reason for optimism is the stable behind it. Olly Murphy's yard at Wilmcote in Warwickshire has sent out 146 winners this season alone — that is not a tally you rack up by accident. Murphy is one of the more productive trainers in the country right now, and he clearly has Sears Crossing in good enough shape to be racing, having run just yesterday. A horse being kept active by a yard firing on all cylinders is usually one that the team believes is close to winning. The question is simply whether Sears Crossing can stop finishing second and start winning instead.