Thankfully

Her recent form tells a story of inconsistency. In her last six outings she has finished first, third, seventh, ninth, eighth, and twenty-ninth, a scatter-plot that reflects the learning curve many young horses go through. Burke, who runs one of the busier yards in the country with 145 winners this season already, clearly sees promise in her. Earlier in the year, before her debut win, she noted that she had run well at Sandown on her first start but had disappointed as favourite at Newbury late in the season — a reversal she put down to the timing of the run rather than a lack of ability. Her assessment was that she was better than those early results suggested and would step forward, and the return to form at Southwell this week vindicates that view.

At the start of her career, few would have predicted Thankfully would string together two wins before the year was out, but she has proved capable of delivering when the race comes up right. She remains very much a horse in development, and her next few months will reveal whether she can tighten up that inconsistent form and become a reliable winner or remains a hit-and-miss prospect.