Del Maro

That sole win came at Great Yarmouth back in April, and it arrived at a distance of around a mile and three to four furlongs — the kind of trip that suits a horse that settles into a rhythm and gradually asserts itself rather than blazing away from the front. Over that range specifically, Del Maro has won 1 from 3 races, which works out at 33%, or roughly one in every three attempts. That is a genuinely strong record at a specific trip, and it suggests the team know exactly what they have on their hands and where to aim it.

The recent form makes for interesting reading too. Reading from most recent backwards, the sequence goes 3-2-2-4-1-3 — meaning Del Maro has finished second twice in its last six races, with that one win sandwiched in between. A horse that finishes second that often is either frustratingly close to winning again, or building towards something. Given that it raced just yesterday and is clearly in a busy spell of form, it would be no surprise to see it go one better very soon.

The stable behind Del Maro adds serious weight to its prospects. Charlie Appleby, based at Newmarket, is one of the most formidable operations in British racing — and this season alone the yard has sent out 121 winners. That is not a yard that wastes its time on horses without ability. When a stable of that quality keeps running a horse, keeps placing it in races, and keeps it active, it usually means they believe there is more to come. Del Maro, at three, is still developing. The best chapter may not have been written yet.