Ellie's de Vega

What makes this timing significant is that Ellie's de Vega was racing again just yesterday, which means she is still active and in regular competition. Her recent form shows she has been knocking on the door: in her last six races, she's had a win, a second place, two more seconds, and a fifth and third. The inconsistency is typical of a horse still finding her feet, but the cluster of placings suggests she is competitive and capable of running close to winners — she just needs to turn more of those near-misses into victories.

Ellie's de Vega is trained by Philip Kirby at East Appleton in North Yorkshire. Kirby's yard is in good form this season, having sent out 36 winners already, so the horse is in a stable with experience and momentum. For a 3-year-old with just one win to her name and racing history measured in weeks rather than years, there is still plenty of potential to find. Her breakthrough at Newcastle suggests she may finally be starting to deliver on that promise.