Nad Alshiba Snow

The recent form tells a consistent story. In its last six races, the best it has managed is a third place, with a string of fourth and fifth-place finishes on either side of it. That kind of form — always thereabouts, never quite getting there — is the hallmark of a horse that competes honestly without ever finding that extra gear when it matters. Jockey Marco Ghiani has ridden it five times without a win between them, which at least suggests the pair are familiar with each other, even if the result has been the same each time.

Trainer Mike Murphy operates out of Westoning in Bedfordshire and has sent out 14 winners this season, so the yard clearly knows how to get horses over the line. Nad Alshiba Snow has done most of its racing at Class 6, which is the entry level of British racing — essentially the races designed for horses that aren't troubling the top end of the game. Eight races at that level, zero wins. That's a notable record, and not in a flattering way. To be winless at the lowest rung of the sport after 19 attempts raises genuine questions about whether a first win is ever coming.

What keeps this horse interesting, in a quiet sort of way, is that it raced just one day ago — it is very much active and being kept busy. The team clearly hasn't given up on it. Five places from 19 races shows it isn't a lost cause, just a frustrating one. Whether Nad Alshiba Snow eventually converts one of those near-misses into a win is the question everyone around it will be hoping to answer.