Five Moons

What keeps the situation interesting is who is in charge. Simon and Ed Crisford train out of Newmarket — the heartland of British flat racing — and their yard has sent out 85 winners already this season. That is a serious operation. Horses from this stable are well prepared and well placed, so the fact that Five Moons keeps finishing fourth rather than last suggests there is something there. A horse that finishes stone last every time is a different conversation. Finishing fourth, repeatedly, in a yard this productive, hints at a horse that is learning but hasn't quite put it all together yet.

Having raced just 15 days ago, Five Moons is clearly an active runner and the team evidently believe another run is worthwhile. At three years old, there is still time for things to click. Some horses take longer than others to work out what racing is actually asking of them, and a powerful yard does not keep running a horse without reason. The results so far are hard to dress up, but the story is not finished yet.