Outflank

What gives real reason for optimism is where this horse is trained. John and Thady Gosden operate one of the most powerful yards in British racing, based in Newmarket — the spiritual home of the sport in this country. Their team has already sent out 140 winners this season alone, which tells you everything about the scale and quality of the operation. Horses trained there are prepared properly, raced with a plan, and rarely find themselves in races they have no business being in. If Outflank keeps finishing third from a yard like that, it almost certainly means there is a win coming — they just haven't found the right opportunity yet.

Having raced as recently as yesterday, Outflank is very much in active campaign. Three runs is still a small sample, and three-year-olds often take time to fully develop and peak. The fact that it has placed in all three races without winning might simply mean it has been meeting some decent horses at an early stage of its career. In the right race, on the right day, that record could change quickly.