Michonne

That recent form string — 5-2-7-4-6 — is worth a closer look. The "2" near the start of that sequence shows Michonne can get into the mix and run a race that matters, but the results on either side of it suggest consistency is the missing piece right now. A seventh and a fifth aren't disasters, but they're not the kind of numbers that build momentum either.

What does offer genuine encouragement is who is doing the training. Mrs John Harrington's yard at Moone in County Kildare has sent out 51 winners already this season — that's a stable firing on all cylinders, and horses trained there tend to be placed with care and given time to develop. Being part of a yard operating at that level means Michonne is in professional hands, and a first win, when it comes, won't be a surprise to anyone watching closely. Raced just yesterday, this is a horse very much in the thick of its campaign.