Mild Magic

The most recent form figures — 2, then a couple of blanks, then 3, 4, 9, 5 — tell an interesting story. That second-place finish is the highlight, and the third not long before it suggests there was a spell when Mild Magic was running into form and knocking on the door. The subsequent slide back toward midfield and a nine suggests it hasn't managed to sustain that improvement, though it raced just yesterday, so this is very much an ongoing story.

Jockey Conor O'Farrell has been the regular partner, riding the horse in five of its seven races without a win to show for it. That kind of loyalty between horse and rider without a result can mean two things — either the team genuinely believes the win is coming, or they've simply settled into a working relationship while they wait for the right opportunity. Trainer Neil Mulholland, based at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire, is clearly no stranger to winning — his yard has sent out 60 winners already this season, which is a healthy, productive operation. The fact that Mild Magic hasn't added to that tally despite racing regularly is notable; this isn't a yard that struggles to get horses ready to win.

Mild Magic has done most of its racing at Class 4 level, which sits in the middle of the British racing pyramid — competitive enough to be a real test, but not the elite tier. Going 0 from 3 at that level suggests the horse hasn't yet found a race or a set of conditions that suits it well enough to get over the line. Whether that changes soon is the question. With a second place already on the record, the talent to threaten is clearly there — it just hasn't been enough yet.