Blue Boy Junior

That said, context matters. Trained by David and Nicola Barron out of their yard in Maunby, North Yorkshire, Blue Boy Junior is at least in capable hands. The Barron operation has sent out 15 winners already this season, which tells you this is a stable that knows how to get horses ready to perform. He raced just yesterday, so he's very much in the thick of his campaign right now.

Two fourth-place finishes aren't a disaster — they suggest he's competitive enough to be in the mix without yet having the pace or experience to push through to a podium spot. For a three-year-old still finding his feet, there's room for improvement, and the Barron yard clearly believes enough in him to keep him active. Whether he can turn those near-misses into something more meaningful remains to be seen.