Polanco

Trained by P F O'Donnell, Polanco raced just yesterday, so this is very much a horse in the thick of its season. The yard has sent out three winners this term, which shows they are capable of getting horses to the line first — Polanco just hasn't been one of them yet. Whether the trainer has a specific plan to unlock something in this horse, or whether these early races are simply about building experience, is hard to say from the outside.

At this stage, Polanco reads as a project rather than a performer. Three-year-olds can take time to mature and find their best form, and not every horse announces itself early. But four runs without so much as a placed finish means it has plenty to prove before anyone would pencil it in as one to follow.