Haaf A Diamond

The partnership with jockey Alec Voikhansky tells a similar story. The two have raced together 17 times, producing that one win between them — just 1 in 17, or about 6%. That's a modest return, but it also speaks to a horse that competes at the bottom tier of British racing. Class 6 is where the sport's more workmanlike horses find their level, and Haaf A Diamond has spent almost all of its career there, winning just 1 of 18 races at that grade. It's a tough, competitive pool — don't mistake the lower classification for easy pickings.

Kevin Frost's yard at Averham Park in Nottinghamshire has had a productive season, sending out 23 winners, which shows the operation knows how to get horses to win. Haaf A Diamond, however, has not been among the contributors to that tally. Recent form reads 6-3-14-4-7-5 going back through the last six runs, with that third-place finish the brightest spot — a reminder that there is occasional spark there, even if another win looks some way off. The horse raced just yesterday, which means the team are keeping it active and looking for the right opportunity.

Whether that opportunity comes again is the question. Thirty-five months is a long time between wins for any racehorse, and at 6 years old, Haaf A Diamond isn't getting younger. But the fact it keeps showing up, keeps placing occasionally, and keeps being entered suggests the team believes there's still a race to be won somewhere. In a sport where patience is everything, they're still waiting for Leicester lightning to strike twice.