Baldosa

Faye McManoman has been the regular partner in the saddle, riding Baldosa in six of those nine races without a win to show for it. That kind of loyalty between horse and jockey usually means the team believes something is there — you don't keep putting the same combination together if you've given up hope. Nigel Tinkler, the trainer based at Langton in North Yorkshire, is no stranger to winners. His yard has sent out 37 this season alone, which is a healthy haul and tells you this is a professional, productive operation. When a trainer of that output keeps running a horse, it is usually because they can see something in the morning that the racecourse hasn't yet rewarded.

At three years old, Baldosa is still young. Horses this age are often still figuring things out — finding their rhythm, learning to race, discovering what distance or ground suits them. The hope for the team will be that a small step forward in any of those areas is enough to turn a place into a win. With a race just yesterday, clearly the plan is to keep the horse ticking over and find the right opportunity. Whether that day comes soon is the question.