Spanish Dancer

That said, there are a few reasons not to write Spanish Dancer off entirely. The horse last raced 52 days ago, so it has had a short break — trainers often use a spell away from the track to work on things at home, and horses can return refreshed and sharper. Whether that holds true here remains to be seen.

The trainer, Richard J Bandey, operates out of Tadley in Hampshire and has sent out 14 winners already this season, which shows the yard knows how to get a horse ready to win. The question is whether Spanish Dancer can be one of them. At 7 years old, it is not a young horse still learning the ropes — it should know its job by now — so the consistent mid-pack finishes are a puzzle rather than a sign of inexperience. For anyone thinking of backing it, the record so far asks for some patience and a fair amount of faith.