Millbuie

That one place from 24 attempts is a tough read any way you look at it. Millbuie competes almost exclusively at Class 6, the entry level of British racing, and has drawn a blank in all 19 races at that tier. In a world where Class 6 is designed to give horses like this a fighting chance, the win column remains stubbornly empty. Recent form offers little encouragement either — a string of fourth, fourth, sixth, fourth, eighth, and sixth place finishes in the last six outings, with the most recent coming just yesterday.

Jockey Rowan Scott has partnered Millbuie six times without managing to get the horse to the line first, and trainer Ewan Whillans, who operates out of Hawick in the Scottish Borders, will be well aware that this particular horse has not yet found a way to convert its efforts into a result. To be fair to Whillans, his yard has sent out 28 winners this season, so the know-how is clearly there — Millbuie just hasn't been the horse to deliver it.

What is perhaps most striking is the sheer persistence involved. Twenty-four races is a substantial body of work, and the yard — the trainer and his team — keep running Millbuie, suggesting there is belief somewhere that a first win remains possible. Whether that day eventually comes is the question. For now, Millbuie is the kind of horse that finishes mid-pack, collects its breath, and heads home to try again another day.