The breeding offers a few clues about what to expect. His father, Soldier Of Fortune, was a high-class staying horse who won the Irish Derby and ran with credit at the very top level. His mother's side carries King's Theatre blood, another influence associated with stamina and jumping. On paper at least, Fortune Lad looks built for distance and potentially for a future over obstacles rather than on the flat.
Christie's yard has had one winner on the board this season — a modest return, but small yards operating out of rural Co Fermanagh are rarely chasing volume. They tend to know their horses well and pick their moments carefully. Whether Fortune Lad is that carefully chosen moment remains to be seen, but a six-year-old making a debut is rarely sent out without some belief behind the scenes that the horse is ready. Today is where we find out.