Cracking Anna

What gives the situation some context is who is doing the training. Michael Bell's operation in Newmarket is one of the more respected yards in British racing, and this season alone they have sent out 47 winners — that is a genuinely productive yard, the kind that knows how to get horses performing. The fact that Cracking Anna has raced just four times at three years old means there is still time for things to click. Young horses can take a while to work out what is being asked of them, and trainers of Bell's experience tend to be patient with the ones that are still developing.

She raced just yesterday, which means she is very much a live, active project rather than a horse being quietly shelved. The team clearly has not given up. Whether the right race, the right conditions, or simply another few months of maturity can unlock something better remains to be seen — but at this stage, Cracking Anna is a horse still searching for her moment.