Cezarro

That said, the recent form offers a flicker of encouragement. Over the last six races, Cezarro has twice finished fourth, once third, and crucially posted a runner-up result — meaning the horse has been knocking on the door without quite being able to open it. The most recent runs suggest it is at least finding a level where it can be involved at the business end of a race, even if the winning line remains elusive.

Cezarro runs out of the Newmarket yard of Ross Burdon, a trainer who has sent out 12 winners already this season — a decent return that suggests the stable knows how to get a horse ready to win. The question is whether Burdon can find the right opportunity to finally get Cezarro's head in front. Having raced just one day ago, the horse is clearly in a busy spell of work, and with recent form pointing upward, a first win may not be far away — though Cezarro has given its supporters reason to say that before.