Rosy Affair

The numbers back up the eye-catching headline. Across her 13 races she has won 4 and placed in 11, meaning she has come home in the money in 85% of her outings — an extraordinary level of consistency. Her overall win rate of 31% means she wins roughly 1 in every 3 races, which is exceptional in a sport where 1 in 5 or 6 is considered very good. And on fast, dry ground she is another animal entirely: 3 wins from just 5 races on those conditions, a 60% win rate that makes her one to watch whenever the sun is out.

Her partnership with jockey Billy Loughnane is worth paying attention to. In seven races together they have won three, which works out at 43% — nearly half their shared outings end in victory. That kind of chemistry between horse and rider is rare and, when you see Loughnane booked for her, it tends to mean the yard fancies their chances.

George Boughey, who trains her from his Newmarket base, has had a remarkable season — 99 winners and counting. He has spoken openly about how Rosy Affair blossomed in the second half of last year, and revealed that the yard even considered taking her to Dubai for the Al Quoz Sprint before deciding patience was the smarter call. Her Group 3 win was no surprise to those who had watched her develop. Now the target is Royal Ascot, one of the most famous weeks in world racing, with a Listed race likely to come first as a stepping stone. For a horse who started out on a cold February evening at Chelmsford, that would be quite the journey.