Haltonwood

What gives the situation some genuine interest is who is doing the training. Ivan Furtado, based at Wiseton in South Yorkshire, has sent out 34 winners already this season — a strong return that marks him out as a yard worth following. A trainer producing at that kind of volume clearly knows how to get horses to perform, and that has to count for something when assessing a young horse still finding its feet. Furtado's record suggests that if there is ability in Haltonwood, it is likely to be found eventually.

For now, though, patience is the watchword. Four races at three years old is still a relatively small sample, and plenty of horses take time to click. The consistent mid-pack finishes — twice in 4th — at least hint that Haltonwood is competitive enough to be in the mix, even if the breakthrough moment hasn't arrived yet.