Brisk Symphony

The filly has clear preferences that tell us where she is most likely to shine. She absolutely loves fast, dry ground and wins roughly one in every three races when conditions suit. Over shorter distances—races between five furlongs and six and a half furlongs—she has won two of five, showing she performs best when asked to settle into a quicker gallop rather than a longer slog. These are the kinds of trips and ground where she looks most comfortable and threatening to her rivals.

Rob Hornby, her most regular partner in the saddle, has been a significant factor in her success. The pair have recorded two wins from five races together, a win rate of four out of every ten—markedly better than her overall record. Trainer Jonathan Portman, based at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, clearly sees potential in the filly. He noted that she was raw and green at her first outing at Chepstow, where she missed the break and the sharp track did not suit her. When given another chance at Nottingham on 26 June, she repaid that faith with her first win, then struck again at Newbury with a penalty on her back—a sign that the handicapper thought enough of her to add extra weight. With a yard sending out 46 winners this season, Portman will be plotting her next step carefully, with an eye towards a fillies' race at Goodwood in September where she has the chance to progress further.