Soldier's Echo

What is worth noting is the yard behind it. Hugo Palmer operates out of Malpas in Cheshire and has sent out 67 winners this season alone — that's a serious operation with both the numbers and the know-how to develop young horses properly. A trainer producing that volume of winners tends to know when a horse needs time and experience rather than a quick exit from the sport. Soldier's Echo raced just one day ago, so Palmer clearly still sees enough to keep running it.

At two years old, horses are essentially teenagers being asked to compete professionally for the first time. Finishing seventh and ninth isn't pretty, but it's not a death sentence either. The ones to watch are those who show small signs of improvement between runs — and with a trainer of Palmer's calibre in the background, Soldier's Echo may yet have something to say for itself.