Back To Black

That said, context matters. George Baker's operation at Epsom Downs has sent out 14 winners already this season, which shows this is a functioning, competitive yard rather than one sending horses out to make up the numbers. Baker knows the game, and Epsom is one of the most storied training bases in British racing — the same hills that gave the world the Derby have shaped plenty of horses who took time to find their feet. The fact that Back To Black raced just yesterday suggests the team hasn't given up on finding the right opportunity.

At this stage, the horse simply hasn't shown what it needs to show. Zero wins and zero places from four races means it has yet to trouble the judge in any meaningful way. For a three-year-old, there is still time — horses this age are still developing, and some take longer than others to put it all together. But the current form figures make for uncomfortable reading, and the next few races will start to tell a clearer story about whether improvement is genuinely coming or whether this is simply a horse finding its level.