Alphecca

The wins came in quick succession last October. The first arrived at Killarney on the 6th, and just six days later Alphecca was back out at Naas and did it again — a sharp turnaround that suggests a horse in excellent form and a yard confident enough to keep the momentum going. Joseph G Murphy, who trains Alphecca from his base in Fethard, County Tipperary, has had a productive season with 19 winners sent out, and Alphecca looks like one of the yard's better young prospects.

The recent form figures — 7-1-1-3-5, reading from most recent to oldest — tell an interesting story. The horse came fifth on debut, third next time, then won twice on the bounce, before finishing seventh most recently. That latest result is worth watching rather than panicking about; horses at this age are still learning, and a blip after a run of form is not unusual. What matters is that Alphecca raced just one day ago and remains active, so the team clearly believe there is more to come. With two wins from five races already on the board, the next few months will tell us a great deal about just how good this young horse might be.