Ochtar Againn

Looking at the last four runs in reverse order — seventh, tenth, twenty-first, and then fifth most recently — there is at least a suggestion of improvement creeping in at the right end of that sequence, though a single fifth-place finish is a slender thread to hang optimism on. The twenty-first-place finish somewhere in the middle of that run of form is the kind of result that raises questions about where the horse is at its best and what conditions suit it.

M J Byrne's yard has sent out one winner this season, which tells you this is a small operation rather than a high-volume stable churning out results. That context matters — horses from quieter yards sometimes take longer to find their feet, and patience is part of the process. Ochtar Againn raced just yesterday, so the yard are clearly keeping the horse busy and looking for an opportunity to click. Whether that moment arrives soon remains to be seen.