Croi Gra

Trained by Miss Natalia Lupini at her yard in Banbridge, Co Down, Croi Gra is part of a team that has been in fine form this season, sending out 15 winners — no small feat for a yard operating out of Northern Ireland, where the competition is real and resources don't always match those of bigger outfits on the mainland. Lupini's results this season suggest she knows what she's doing, which gives reason for cautious optimism about what Croi Gra might become with a bit more experience under its belt.

Having raced as recently as yesterday, this is a horse very much in the thick of its campaign. At three years old, it's still learning the job, and plenty of horses take several runs before things click. Whether that click is coming soon is the question — but with a yard firing on all cylinders around it, Croi Gra won't be short of support when the moment arrives.