What we do know is that Mister St Eloi is bred for jumping. His sire Jeu St Eloi made his name over obstacles, and the influence of Septieme Ciel on the dam's side adds a touch of class to the pedigree. Whether that breeding translates into a racehorse worth following is exactly what today is designed to find out.
The yard behind him is well worth noting. Olly Murphy trains out of Wilmcote in Warwickshire and has been in excellent form this season, sending out 146 winners — a number that puts him firmly among the most productive jumping trainers in the country. A yard running at that kind of volume tends to know when a horse is ready, so the fact that Mister St Eloi has been given the green light to run is at least a quiet vote of confidence.