Kind Of Kiss

The recent form makes for tough reading. Looking at the last six outings, the numbers go 2-11-8-6-10-5 reading back from that second-place finish, which stands out as a clear highlight. That runner-up spot hints at ability, but the performances either side of it — finishing fifth, then drifting back to tenth, eighth, sixth, and eleventh — suggest a horse that finds something to beat it in the final reckoning. Racing at Class 3 level, which sits in the middle tier of British racing, Kind Of Kiss has tried seven times at that standard without winning once. That is a record that raises honest questions about whether this is the right level, or whether there is a win lurking somewhere if the pieces fall right.

The trainer is Sam England, based at Guiseley in West Yorkshire, and the yard is having a productive season with 53 winners sent out — a strong number that shows this is a team that knows how to get horses winning. The fact that Kind Of Kiss remains in the winner's circle column at zero is not for lack of a capable operation behind it. England's yard clearly has the tools; this particular horse just hasn't found the moment yet. Kind Of Kiss raced just one day ago, so whatever comes next will tell us quickly whether anything has changed.