South West

That one win came at Catterick Bridge on 15 July, two months ago now, and it remains South West's only success so far. The victory showed the horse has the ability to get its head in front when conditions align, but converting that into a winning run has proved difficult. Three placings from six races — roughly one in every two races producing a placed finish — suggests South West is competitive enough to fill the frame regularly, but not yet consistent enough to win with any frequency. Most troublingly, the last two runs have both been ninth-place finishes, the kind of back-of-the-field results that can shake confidence in a young horse.

Richard Hughes trains South West from Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, a yard that has already sent out 60 winners this season, so the infrastructure and expertise are clearly in place. South West raced just a day ago, so there's no long layoff to overcome — the horse is actively racing and getting experience, which at two years old is precisely what's needed. Whether that recent ninth-place finish prompts a change of approach or tactics will matter in the coming weeks. For now, South West remains a work in progress with one win to its name and everything still to prove.