Kingofthecarnival

The recent form string reads 11-4-7-1-6-7 from most recent to oldest, which tells you this is a horse that can be frustratingly inconsistent — a win sandwiched between some pretty ordinary efforts. But the fact that it lined up just yesterday means the team at Archie Watson's yard clearly still believe there is more to come. Watson operates one of the sharper outfits in the country, having sent out 65 winners already this season from his base in Upper Lambourn, so horses in his care tend to be placed with purpose rather than just filling a field.

Hollie Doyle has been the regular partner, riding Kingofthecarnival in five of its seven races and winning once — that works out to a 1-in-5 success rate together, which is respectable given how young and still-developing this horse clearly is. Doyle is one of the most recognisable jockeys in British racing, and her continued association with the horse is a quiet vote of confidence. At three years old, with a yard in form behind it and a jockey who knows it well, Kingofthecarnival has time on its side. The profile of a horse that has found its trip and its track — and is only just starting to put it together.