Laughterintherain

The recent form reads 6-2-7-10 going back through the last four races, which tells a mixed tale. That second-place finish stands out as genuine promise — getting beaten rather than thumped suggests this horse is capable of competing when things click. The sixth and seventh are workmanlike without being embarrassing, but the tenth is the sort of result that raises a question or two. Whether that was the wrong race, the wrong conditions, or simply an off day is worth watching.

What works in Laughterintherain's favour is the yard behind it. Ed Walker, based at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, has sent out 75 winners already this season — that is a serious training operation, the kind that knows when a horse is ready and when to be patient. A three-year-old sitting on zero wins from four races in a stable producing that volume of winners isn't being written off; it's more likely being placed carefully, waiting for the right opportunity. Walker's team don't tend to run horses just to make up the numbers.

Racing just one day ago, Laughterintherain is as current as it gets. Whether that recent run was the breakthrough that's been building or another near-miss is the question every follower of this horse will be asking. At three, with a full season still ahead and a competitive yard pulling the strings, there is plenty of time for that first win to arrive.