Antigua

What makes Antigua worth watching, though, is the yard it comes from. Trained by Aidan P O'Brien at Cashel in County Tipperary, this horse is part of one of the most powerful operations in racing. The team has sent out 144 winners already this season — a number that reflects a conveyor belt of talent and a training staff who know exactly how to bring a horse to its peak. Horses from this yard regularly compete at the highest level, which means even a horse still finding its feet is being prepared by people who have done this thousands of times before.

The recent run of form — finishing fourth last time out and fourth the time before — at least shows a horse that is running consistently and not falling away. It raced just one day ago, so there is no mystery about where it currently stands. Whether the step from fourth to first is a small one or a large one, only the next few races will tell.