That Darn Cantor

What's worth noting is the yard behind it. Ed Dunlop trains out of Newmarket, one of British racing's most famous bases, and his team has sent out 35 winners already this season — a healthy tally that speaks to a yard operating in good form. Dunlop has a reputation for patient handling, particularly with younger horses, so it wouldn't be a surprise if there's a longer-term plan at work here. A horse only gets to be a three-year-old once, and good trainers often spend this season working out exactly where a horse belongs rather than chasing short-term results.

That Darn Cantor raced just yesterday, so whatever conclusions the team have drawn are fresh. The question now is whether they find a race that suits the horse a little better, or whether this season becomes more about education than winning. Either way, the Dunlop yard has the tools and the track record to give it every chance of turning things around.