Vantage Code

That said, Vantage Code only raced yesterday, so the team are clearly keeping busy and haven't lost faith. Trainer Emmet Mullins, based at Bagenalstown in Co. Carlow, has had a productive season — 31 winners from his yard this year, which is a healthy return and a sign that horses around him are performing. The question is when, or whether, Vantage Code can start contributing to that tally rather than adding to the also-ran column.

The trend in recent form is at least moving in the right direction — eleventh down to two sixths and then a seventh suggests the horse may be finding its feet, even if there's still a clear gap between Vantage Code and anything resembling a winning position. At three years old there is room to improve, and plenty of horses take time to figure things out. But for now, this is a horse with work to do.