Bofa Beach

Her debut run told the real story. Fourth at the Curragh over seven furlongs, Harrington described it as a lovely race — and in racing terms, a promising debut from a yard that knows what it's doing is worth more than a fleeting win in lesser company. The problems came next time out, when Bofa Beach finished 27th in the Goffs Million. That sounds brutal, but the explanation is straightforward: the ground was soft and wet that day, and it simply didn't suit her. Some horses hate the mud, and she appears to be one of them. A bad run on the wrong ground tells you almost nothing about what a horse can do when conditions are right.

The most recent run — third place — is encouraging. It suggests she's found her feet again and is running closer to her best. Harrington's plan is clear: keep her racing on faster, drier ground and stick to seven furlongs up to a mile for now, letting her develop at her own pace.

The yard itself is in fine form, having sent out 54 winners already this season, which means Bofa Beach is being produced by a team that clearly knows how to get horses performing. When a stable of that calibre is patient with a three-year-old and talking about finding the right conditions rather than rushing her through races, it usually means they see something worth waiting for.