Sir Griflet

That said, Sir Griflet is only three years old, and there is a world of difference between a young horse that keeps running and one that gives up. Dylan Cunha's yard at Newmarket has sent out 45 winners this season, which is a healthy operation — these are not people short of a clue, and the fact that Sir Griflet keeps appearing in the entries suggests the team still believes there is something to find. Newmarket is one of the sport's great training centres, and horses based there tend to be pointed carefully at races that suit them.

The question for Sir Griflet is whether a change of scenery, conditions, or distance unlocks something that six races have so far kept hidden. At three, horses are still developing, and some take longer than others to figure out what racing actually asks of them. The form is what it is — but the story is not over yet.