Lisnamurrican

What makes her interesting is the context. She was good enough to win a point-to-point before entering training — a form of racing held over open countryside, less polished than the professional circuit but a decent proving ground for jumping ability. Nicky Henderson, the man now responsible for her career, is about as well-connected a trainer as it gets in British racing. His yard at Upper Lambourn has sent out 85 winners already this season, which is the kind of number that tells you this is an operation that knows how to get a horse ready. Henderson's view is that she jumps well, and the original plan was to run her in a less competitive early-career race on the flat last spring — but the ground dried out too fast, and soft-ground horses need softer conditions than a dry British spring was offering.

So instead she'll go straight over hurdles, which involves jumping a series of low obstacles at speed and is where many horses find their best form. Henderson clearly thinks she's built for it. She's only raced three times, which means there's genuine scope for improvement — she's still learning the job. No wins yet, but a trainer with 85 winners this season doesn't keep a horse around unless he believes