El Vamos

George Boughey trains her out of Newmarket, and his yard has been in seriously good form this season — 99 winners and counting, which puts him firmly among the busiest and most successful operations in the country. When a trainer of that calibre describes a horse as sitting near the top of their three-year-olds, it's worth paying attention. Boughey has been deliberately patient with El Vamos since that debut win, explaining she's slightly behind in her coat and waiting for the warmer weather before bringing her back. That's not a concern — it's just good horsemanship.

Her jockey that day at Ascot, Billy Loughnane, was effusive after the race. She noted that she ran over a mile but she doesn't expect the distance to be her limit — if anything, she felt she'd be even sharper with a stronger pace to chase. The fact that she won without that ideal setup suggests she was doing it well within herself. Boughey, meanwhile, has spoken openly about stepping her up in grade, which means moving into tougher, more prestigious company. That's a significant statement of intent for a horse with just one race under her belt.

She returns now after roughly eight months off, which is a long break and means she'll need to find her feet again on race day. But the combination of a polished debut, a patient and high-performing trainer, and clear ambitions for bigger races makes El Vamos one of the more intriguing three-year-olds coming back into action this spring.