Clody Diamond

Trained by Paul Nolan at his yard in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, the horse comes from a team that clearly knows what it's doing this season — 23 winners sent out already is a healthy return and a sign that horses are leaving that yard in good shape. Nolan is an experienced handler, and having a horse that has placed without winning yet is not unusual at this stage of a career; the question is simply whether the right opportunity comes along.

After a break of 68 days since last racing, Clody Diamond returns fresher than before. Short breaks like this can sometimes be exactly what a young horse needs to settle and come back sharper. The runner-up finish in the sequence stands out as the most encouraging moment so far — close enough to winning to suggest the gap can be closed.