Space Bear

What stands out is her dominance at Great Yarmouth, where she has won two of three races. That kind of specialisation at a single track is the mark of a horse who genuinely suits the course, perhaps the terrain or the shape of it, and it is worth noting that her most recent victory came just four weeks ago at that same venue. When Michael Appleby, who trains from Oakham in Rutland, has run him over a mile or between seven furlongs and a mile, Space Bear has won one of three — a 33 per cent win rate over that distance — which suggests he has found his optimal trip. Her recent form shows peaks and troughs: an eighth-place finish a day ago, followed by a fourth before that, but earlier a win, a second and another fourth. She remains active and being given regular opportunities to break through again. Luke Morris has ridden him five times, winning once, which is a modest return but not unusual for a jockey still finding the best way to get the most from the horse.

Michael Appleby's yard has been productive this season with 71 winners, but Space Bear represents the kind of moderate earner that most training operations carry — capable on his day, especially at tracks and distances that suit him, but unlikely to develop into anything more than a solid, occasional winner in lower-class races.