Control Room

The interesting part is what trainer Grace Harris is saying about her now. Harris, who runs a productive yard in Gwent and has sent out 31 winners this season, reckons Control Room has genuinely improved over the winter break. She has filled out, got stronger, and worked nicely in preparation for her return. The plan is to bring her back gently: starting over 5 furlongs rather than the 6 she has raced at before, which suggests Harris wants to sharpen her up on the shorter trip before stretching her out again. Harris also thinks Control Room is "quite handsomely weighted" — an encouraging sign that she is not being asked to carry too much weight against her rivals.

At Class 5 level, where Control Room has raced most of the time, she has won 1 out of 3 — a 33% win rate, which is genuinely strong. The problem is that she has not yet put a win together at the higher levels where she needs to prove herself. A seasonal debut is expected soon, possibly this week at Bath, where she has run before and came second. That kind of course familiarity, combined with Harris's confidence that she is better than she was, makes Control Room one to keep an eye on as the new season unfolds.