Grand Vista

What makes the picture slightly more encouraging is where this horse is stabled. William Muir and Chris Grassick operate out of Lambourn in Berkshire, one of British racing's most respected training villages, and their yard has already sent out 21 winners this season. That's a team in form, which matters — horses trained by busy, confident yards tend to be well-prepared and placed with purpose. Grand Vista raced just yesterday, so the team clearly believe there's more to come and aren't hiding the horse away.

At three years old, Grand Vista is still relatively young and learning the job. Many horses at this age need time to mature before the penny drops. The question is whether the improving form line — going from fifth to fourth most recently — hints at gradual progress, or whether it's simply the difference between finishing badly and finishing less badly. For now, supporters will be hoping the yard's strong season rubs off.