Empress Olivia

That said, there are grounds for optimism. Empress Olivia has a clear preference for top-level competition: she has won 1 of her 3 races in the better Class 4 events, a win rate of 33 percent that stands out sharply against her overall record. Ripon, where she recorded both of her wins, appears to suit her temperament. Her recent form is patchy — a second place in her most recent outing is the highlight of a sequence that includes a 13th and an 11th — but the fact that she is still racing actively and still competing suggests she remains engaged and healthy.

Mark Walford's yard at Sheriff Hutton has been in fine form this season with 35 winners to their name, which argues that Empress Olivia is in an operation with the knowhow to get horses to the track in winning condition. The partnership with jockey Jack Garritty has not yet yielded a success from five attempts, but the combination is still being tested. Given her course form and class profile, Empress Olivia looks like a horse that could surprise in a lower-grade race back at Ripon or a similar track, though patience will be required.