Upsomdowns

The recent form string of 8-2-6-4-3 is a mixed picture. That second-place finish stands out as the clear highlight, and paired with the third, it shows Upsomdowns can get itself into contention. The 8th and 6th-place efforts are harder to explain away, but every horse has off days, and a three-year-old is still learning the job. It raced just yesterday, which means it is firmly in the middle of a campaign rather than being saved for something special.

Pat Phelan trains the horse out of Epsom in Surrey — a yard that has sent out eight winners already this season, so there is clearly capability in the operation. Phelan's team will know this horse well and will be waiting patiently for the right opportunity to click. At Class 5 — the entry-level tier of British racing — Upsomdowns has run three times without winning, which means it has not yet managed to beat the horses it ought to be competitive with. That is a challenge, but it is also the level where confidence and a first win can be found. All it takes is one good day, and the story changes entirely.