Skip To Victory

The most recent run came just 16 days ago — a fifth-place finish — which is the one blip in an otherwise tidy record. Whether that was a step up in class, an off day, or simply a race that didn't suit, it's worth watching how the horse responds next time out. Horses this age are still learning their trade, and one below-par effort rarely tells the whole story.

What does give genuine cause for optimism is where Skip To Victory is trained. Dylan Cunha operates out of Newmarket — the heartland of British flat racing, a town where serious horses go to be made — and the yard has sent out 47 winners already this season. That is a yard in very good form, which matters. When a team is firing like that, even the horses without a win on the board tend to be well-placed and well-prepared. Skip To Victory is in professional hands, and that counts for something.