Dante's Inferno

The recent form makes for sobering reading: seventh, fourth, fourth, third, fourth, third across the last six runs, with a race just yesterday suggesting the team has no intention of giving up on finding that elusive breakthrough. There is a pattern here worth noting — Dante's Inferno keeps finishing close enough to suggest it belongs in its races, but not close enough to actually win one. Six races at Class 5 level, the bread-and-butter tier of British racing, and still nothing to show for it. At that level, you would expect a horse with genuine ability to find a way through eventually.

Culhane and Barclay have sent out six winners from their Lancashire base this season, so they clearly know how to get a horse ready to win. The fact that Dante's Inferno keeps getting entered and keeps running — raced as recently as yesterday — tells you the yard still believes there is a first victory somewhere in this horse. Whether that belief is well-placed is the question racing fans following this one will be asking. Sometimes a horse just needs everything to fall right on the day. Dante's Inferno is still waiting for that day.