Tony Forbes

The one relationship that defines his yard is with Fashionelle, a horse he has run together with 13 times. Just one of those races has ended in victory, which tells you something about the level of patience required in this game — both from the trainer and from the horse's owner. Thirteen attempts, one win. That is a tough road, but it also means Forbes knows this horse better than almost anyone, and that kind of familiarity can eventually pay off.

There is no glossing over where Forbes stands right now. A trainer with no winners in four years is fighting to establish themselves in one of the most competitive sports there is. But every trainer who is now a household name was once an unknown with empty columns in the results books. The question for Forbes is whether the right horse — or the right day — is just around the corner.