A La Prochaine

The five-month gap since that debut win is worth noting. A La Prochaine has been off the track since late October, which in racing terms is a significant absence. That kind of break can mean many things — a careful, patient yard managing a young horse's development, a minor setback, or simply a plan that prioritises quality over quantity. With Ralph Beckett's operation, the third option is usually the safest assumption. Beckett trains out of Kimpton in Hampshire and has sent out 111 winners this season alone — that's not a yard that rushes horses back before they're ready.

Beckett is one of the smarter trainers in Britain when it comes to placing young horses thoughtfully, and a horse returning from a winter break off the back of a winning debut is usually one whose team believe there is more to come. Whether A La Prochaine can back up that single impressive effort is the only question that matters now — and we will not know the answer until she reappears. But arriving on a perfect record, with a top yard behind her and a win already on the board, is about as solid a starting point as a three-year-old can have.