Almeiyda

That said, context matters. Almeiyda is trained by D K Weld at Curragh, Co Kildare, one of Ireland's most respected yards, and the operation has already sent out 29 winners this season alone. That tells you this is a stable that knows how to get horses to the track in shape to win. When a yard is firing at that kind of volume, they tend to be patient with younger horses who are still learning their trade. A three-year-old with just three races under its belt is still very much a work in progress, and being housed with a team of that calibre at least means it's in good hands.

The honest assessment, though, is that Almeiyda needs to find some significant improvement to make its mark. Two fourth-place finishes suggested a horse hovering near the frame without quite getting there, but slipping back to eleventh most recently is a step in the wrong direction. Whether that was the distance, the ground, or simply a bad day, only time and more racing will tell.