Sugar Bon Bon

That said, context matters. Three races is a very small sample. Some horses take time to figure out what is being asked of them, and a yard that has already sent out 12 winners this season — a solid return by any measure — is clearly doing something right. Trainer Peter Niven operates out of Barton-le-Street in North Yorkshire, and a training operation producing winners at that rate has the knowhow to bring a young horse along steadily rather than throw it in at the deep end.

Sugar Bon Bon raced just yesterday, so the team clearly believes there is more to come. Whether this horse eventually finds its level and starts converting promise into results, or whether these early runs simply reflect the steep learning curve facing any young horse, the next few outings will tell us a great deal.