Monk's Hill

That form reads 9-4-16-2-7-4 going back through the last six races, and what stands out is the consistency of those placed efforts. Two fourth-place finishes and a runner-up slot show a horse that keeps finding its way into contention — it just hasn't yet managed to get its nose in front when it matters most. The second place in particular suggests Monk's Hill is competitive enough to challenge, even if converting that into a win has so far proved elusive. A 16th and a 9th are mixed in there too, so it isn't flawless, but the overall picture is of a young horse that races genuinely rather than one that drifts out of contention.

What adds real interest here is the trainer. Ivan Furtado operates out of Wiseton in South Yorkshire and has sent out 34 winners already this season — that's a yard in seriously good form, and horses trained by people running at that kind of clip tend to be placed in races they have a realistic chance of winning. Furtado isn't scattering his horses around hoping for the best. The fact that Monk's Hill raced just one day ago and is classed as currently active suggests this is a horse being campaigned regularly and with purpose.

At three years old, Monk's Hill is still learning the job. Plenty of horses at this age take time to mature into winning form, and two career places from nine races isn't the profile of a horse that's hopelessly out of its depth — it's the profile of one that keeps showing up without quite having its moment yet. With a trainer firing on all cylinders behind it, that moment may not be far away.