Dark Sovereign

What gives those modest numbers some context is the stable they come from. Beckett's yard has sent out 109 winners this season alone — that is the kind of output that puts a trainer firmly among the busiest and most respected in the country. When a horse comes out of a yard firing at that volume, you know it is being prepared properly and pointed at the right races. Dark Sovereign has not converted yet, but it is not being mishandled either.

The form figures — 3-5-4 — tell the story of a horse that is competitive without quite finding that extra gear at the crucial moment. Finishing third on debut is actually a perfectly respectable start; plenty of horses are much further back first time out. The slight drift to fifth and then back to fourth suggests it is still finding its feet and learning the job, which at three years old is completely normal. The win, when it comes, may not be far away — though that is the hope rather than the guarantee.