Trooper

What makes this worth watching, though, is the trainer. Neil Mulholland's yard at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire has sent out 60 winners already this season — that is a stable in serious form, with horses firing on all cylinders. When a trainer is operating at that level, they tend to know exactly where each horse fits and when to keep running one. The fact that Mulholland's team has kept Trooper in action, with a race as recently as yesterday, suggests they have not given up on finding the right opportunity.

The numbers are hard to dress up. No win, no place from six attempts is a tough record, and a horse that finished eighth last time out is clearly struggling to land a blow. But racing has a habit of surprising people, and horses can turn a corner quickly when conditions or competition finally fall their way. For now, Trooper is one to watch with cautious curiosity rather than confidence.