V Power

The level V Power typically competes at — Class 5, which is effectively the bread-and-butter end of British racing — has not been kind. Zero wins from six races at that level is a tough record, and it suggests the horse finds even the less glamorous end of the sport competitive. The recent run of form reads 6-8-1-8-10-4, which translates as one bright afternoon surrounded by a lot of mid-field and tail-end finishes. That "1" in the sequence is the Wolverhampton win, and it stands out like a lighthouse in fog.

Thomas Faulkner trains V Power from a yard based in Devauden in Monmouthshire, and it is worth noting the operation is having a productive season — 17 winners sent out already, which shows Faulkner knows how to get a horse ready to win. V Power raced just one day ago, so this is a horse very much in active campaign, and the team will be hoping that January win was not a one-off but a sign of something more to come. At six years old, the clock is not exactly ticking, but the window for improvement is narrowing. The next few races will tell a lot about whether Wolverhampton was a breakthrough or simply a good day at the office.