Politely

The numbers get even more interesting when you look at distance. Over a mile and one furlong to a mile and two furlongs, Politely has won 2 of 3 races — that's a win rate of 67%, or two in every three attempts. In practical terms, this is a horse that knows what it's doing when the distance suits. Trainers notice patterns like this quickly, and Meade will almost certainly be looking to keep Politely in that sweet spot rather than experiment with shorter or longer trips.

The recent form tells a story of a horse that is peaking at the right time. After finishing ninth and fifth in its first two outings — a rough start by anyone's measure — Politely has reeled off back-to-back wins, first at Lingfield Park in March and then at Wolverhampton in April. That turnaround from also-ran to winner is not something every young horse manages, and doing it twice in a row suggests it has genuinely figured something out. Meade's yard has sent out five winners this season already, so there is clearly confidence and momentum behind the operation.

Raced just one day ago and still active, Politely is a horse very much in the middle of its story. The question now is whether the team pushes on into stronger company — and whether Politely's consistency over a mile to a mile and two holds up when the opposition improves. Based on what we have seen so far, there is every reason to think it might.