Ella's Gold

What stands out most is the recent trajectory. After a couple of forgettable runs — finishing 13th and 7th before a 10th — she has clicked into a much better gear, posting back-to-back runner-up finishes in her last two races. That kind of upward curve in form is exactly what you want to see, and the fact that she ran again just yesterday suggests the team are in no mood to wait around. When a yard keeps a horse busy and in form, it usually means they can see something to work with.

She's trained by Matthew J Smith at Kilmessan in County Meath, and the yard has sent out eight winners already this season, so there's clearly a capable operation behind her. The support of a yard that knows how to get horses to the winning post counts for something. Ella's Gold looks like a horse on the way up, and her next start — when it comes — will be worth keeping an eye on.