Dee's Funny Girl

She is trained by Michael Keady out of Newmarket, one of the most famous training centres in the world, where the best yards in British racing are based. Keady's operation is clearly in good form right now — 16 winners already this season is a solid return and suggests a yard that knows what it is doing with young horses. Sending a first-time runner to Thirsk and coming back with a win is exactly the kind of result that builds a season.

What happens next is the real question. A horse that wins first time out always attracts attention, because it suggests there was enough natural ability and maturity to get the job done without the benefit of experience. Whether Dee's Funny Girl is a smart horse who will go on to better things, or simply one who was ready earlier than her rivals on that particular day, only future races will tell. For now, though, the record reads perfectly — and that is a fine place to start.