Soda

Gemma Tutty, who trains Soda out of her yard in Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, is candid about where the horse stands. Soda's debut came at Catterick, where she finished third behind Borjina, and Tutty notes it came with relatively little preparation beforehand — so the performance may have understated what the horse is actually capable of. That is exactly the kind of detail worth holding onto: a horse who runs respectably on limited work often has more to offer once the groundwork catches up with the racing.

Tutty's yard has sent out 20 winners already this season, which suggests this is not an operation that enters horses just to make up the numbers. When a stable running at that level of output decides a horse is ready to go to Ripon, it is worth paying attention. Soda raced just one day ago, so she is very much in the thick of an active campaign right now.

The honest summary is that Soda is a young horse still finding her feet, with two decent placings to her name and a trainer who believes there is more to come. Whether the step forward arrives next time out is the open question — but the signs are pointing in the right direction.