A La Prochaine

Ralph Beckett, who trains her at his yard in Kimpton, Hampshire, is one of the shrewder operators in British racing. His team has sent out 109 winners already this season, which tells you something about the operation she is part of. Beckett knows a useful three-year-old filly when he sees one, and his assessment of A La Prochaine is quietly bullish — she is bred to be above average, she goes well at home, and she is described as pretty straightforward, which in racing terms means she does not waste energy making her handler's lives difficult.

The plan from here involves a trial race before a potential tilt at the Oaks, one of the most prestigious races in the British calendar for three-year-old horses. The one condition to keep an eye on is the ground. Beckett has said she will need some juice underfoot — in other words, she is likely to be at her best when conditions are on the softer, wetter side rather than fast and dry. That is worth knowing, because it means her the yard will be patient and selective rather than simply running her whenever an opportunity appears.

With only two races to go on, it is still early days, but a horse of her age with an Oaks entry and a trainer of Beckett's calibre plotting a careful path for her is well worth following through the spring and summer. The potential is clearly there — now it is just a matter of finding the right race and the right ground.