The Kalonji Man

What makes the picture slightly more forgiving is where this horse is sitting. Richard Hannon's operation is one of the most prolific in Britain — 118 winners already this season is a remarkable output, the kind of number that tells you this yard knows how to get horses ready and knows when to run them. Hannon has a long track record of developing young horses gradually, and two-year-olds often need several runs before the penny drops. The 14th-place finish sits at the wrong end of that sequence, which isn't ideal, but the direction isn't entirely hopeless — a 4th most recently suggests some improvement is in there.

At this stage, The Kalonji Man is still very much a work in progress. Zero wins from four races, still racing, and surrounded by a team that clearly knows what it's doing. Whether the ability catches up with the opportunity remains to be seen.