Royal Sapphire

What makes the situation interesting rather than simply bleak is where Royal Sapphire is trained. Joseph Patrick O'Brien's yard at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny is one of the most productive operations in Ireland right now — 160 winners sent out this season alone. To put that in perspective, that is a remarkable volume of success, meaning horses leave that yard in form and well-prepared. Royal Sapphire has clearly had every chance. The talent and infrastructure surrounding it are beyond question, which makes the lack of results more puzzling than it might be if the horse were trained somewhere smaller or less resourced.

Raced just yesterday, Royal Sapphire is very much an active runner, and at three years old there is still time for the picture to change. Young horses can take time to find their feet, and not every one clicks immediately. But seven races without a single top-three finish is a tough record to look past, and the most recent finishing positions suggest things are not trending in the right direction. Whoever is patient enough to keep faith will be hoping the Owning Hill team can find the key to unlocking something better very soon.