Tell The Tale

The recent run of form tells a similar story. Racing just yesterday, Tell The Tale has finished second in its most recent outing — that placed effort — but has otherwise been plodding home mid-field or toward the back, with finishes of fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth scattered across the last six races. At six years old with no wins on the board, the window for a breakthrough is not getting any wider.

What keeps this horse interesting, at least in part, is who is saddling it up. Trainer Neil Mulholland, based at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire, has had a productive season — 60 winners sent out from his yard is a serious number, and it shows this is an operation that knows how to get horses winning. The fact that Tell The Tale has not managed to join that tally despite running six times is not down to a lack of quality training. Sometimes a horse simply makes you wait, and Mulholland's team will know better than most what it needs to find that extra gear.

That placed finish at least suggests Tell The Tale is not completely out of its depth — it can get close enough to hit the frame. Whether it can go one better and finally get its head in front is the question everyone connected with this horse will be hoping to answer soon.