Furrst Lady

Ruth Carr, who trains her at Stillington in North Yorkshire, is clearly a trainer worth paying attention to — her yard has sent out 56 winners already this season, which is a serious body of work. Carr has spoken openly about Furrst Lady's background: she arrived at the stable as recently as January, essentially starting from scratch with a new team. She is a half-sister to Spycatcher, a horse trained by Karl Burke who has earned a significant amount of prize-money over his career. In horse racing, a well-bred relative is no guarantee of anything — but it does at least tell you there's potential in the bloodline worth developing.

What's interesting is that Carr flagged early on that she did not expect Furrst Lady to win first time out, suggesting the horse needed time and race experience before she would be ready to deliver. Six races later, that patience is still being tested. She has tried her luck three times at Class 5 level — the entry level of British racing — and has not managed a win or a place finish in any of them. That is about as tough a run as a horse can have. Either the penny hasn't dropped yet, or the right conditions haven't come together.

She raced just yesterday, so she is very much an active project. Given Carr's track record this season and the family connection to a proven earner, it would be premature to write her off entirely. Whether there is a breakthrough performance around the corner remains to be seen — but this is a horse whose the yard clearly believe the best is still ahead of her.