Silver Lake

The recent form makes for modest reading: a seventh, then a sixth, then a third in its most recent outing. That placed finish is the most encouraging sign so far, suggesting the horse is finding its feet and starting to run into form. It raced just yesterday, so this is very much a horse in the middle of its story rather than at the end of it.

What gives Silver Lake's the yard — the team, rather — genuine cause for optimism is who is doing the training. William Haggas, based at Newmarket in Suffolk, has sent out 170 winners already this season. To put that in perspective, 170 winners in a single season means his yard is firing on almost every cylinder — finding the right races, getting horses fit at the right moment, and turning potential into results on a near-daily basis. A horse that hasn't won yet under Haggas isn't necessarily a bad horse; it may simply be one that hasn't quite found its race yet. Haggas has a long track record of placing horses carefully and improving them steadily through a campaign.

Silver Lake has 0 wins from 3 races, which is not unusual for a three-year-old still learning the job. Horses at this age are often still developing physically and mentally, and a placed finish after two forgettable runs is exactly the kind of upward curve a good trainer looks for. The yard clearly thinks there is more to come, given the horse was out racing as recently as yesterday. When a stable of this size and quality keeps running a horse, it usually means they believe in it.