Spirited Dancer

Since then, though, the wins have dried up. She has not added to her tally in any of her last six races — that is now 26 months without a victory, across five races at Class 5, the bread-and-butter level of British racing, where she has yet to win at all in five attempts. Her overall record reads 1 win and 4 places from 17 races, which works out at roughly 1 win in every 17 outings. At that level of consistency, most horses quietly fade from view. And yet the Kublers have kept faith, even entering her in a high-profile sales race at Newmarket — the kind of occasion where horses of her level are typically outgunned. She finished down the field that day, which was no disgrace in the company, but it tells you the yard still see potential worth testing.

Her recent form reads 2-2-5-10-7 going further back, with a second-place finish in each of her last two completed races before yesterday's outing — her most recent run was just a day ago, placing her firmly in the current picture. Two seconds back-to-back suggest a horse that is competitive and engaged without quite finding that final gear. The Kublers, who have sent out 34 winners this season — a strong haul for a Lambourn yard — are clearly not short of capable horses. That they continue to run Spirited Dancer regularly says something. She is described by her trainer as a sweet horse who does everything well at home. Sometimes that is exactly the kind of horse that surprises you on the right day.