Takenasred

The recent form makes for interesting reading. A second, two thirds, and a fourth in the last six runs suggests a horse that keeps showing up and mixing it with the winner, but something — a rival just a touch better, a moment of hesitation — keeps the victory out of reach. The dashes in that sequence indicate races where Takenasred didn't finish, which adds another layer of frustration for the team.

Trainer S R B Crawford operates out of Larne in County Antrim and has had a productive season, sending out 12 winners from the yard. That's a healthy return, which makes Takenasred something of an outlier — a horse in a yard that clearly knows how to win, still waiting for its moment. At 8 years old, time is not exactly on its side, but it raced just yesterday, so the yard are clearly still hopeful. Whether that first win ever comes remains the question — but you can't fault the horse for trying.