Tainted Love

The recent form figures of 14-7-8-7 tell a consistent story, just not a flattering one. That sequence shows a horse finishing in the lower half of the field across the board, with the most recent effort — a 14th place finish — representing a step in the wrong direction. She raced just one day ago, so there is at least some encouragement in the fact that the team clearly still believes there is something to work with.

What works in Tainted Love's favour is who is doing the believing. Trainer Richard Spencer operates out of Newmarket — the heartland of British flat racing — and has sent out 27 winners already this season, which is a yard running in good form. Spencer has a reputation for patient placement of horses, and while Tainted Love hasn't found her feet yet, being part of a yard firing on all cylinders is no bad thing. The right race, in the right conditions, can change a horse's story quickly.