Masaban

What jumps out from the recent form is the shape of it. Masaban has gone 3-1-6-8-5 across its last five races, reading from most recent backwards — meaning the horse finished third, then won, then had a rough patch with a sixth and an eighth, before that. In other words, Masaban has been getting better, not worse. The two most recent outings are the ones that matter most right now, and a win followed by a placing suggests a horse that is starting to work out how to compete.

The trainer is Edward Bethell, based at Middleham in North Yorkshire — one of the great racing towns in Britain, tucked into the Dales and home to some seriously good yards. Bethell's operation has sent out 62 winners already this season, which tells you this is not a small, quiet setup. It is a yard firing on all cylinders, and having a horse like Masaban in form at the same time is the kind of combination that tends to produce results. Having raced just one day ago, Masaban is very much in the thick of the season right now.

At three years old, this horse is at the age where things can change quickly — for better or worse. The talent is there. The question is whether Masaban can build on what looks like genuine improvement and turn a promising profile into something more substantial.