Greek Mythology

The form since that debut has held up well. Running most recent first, the sequence reads second, third, second, first — a horse that has barely put a foot wrong, placing in every single race it has contested. That is the hallmark of a genuine, reliable competitor rather than one who flukes a win and disappears. A second-place finish at Gowran Park earlier this month particularly caught the eye of trainer Joseph Patrick O'Brien, who described it as a very nice run.

O'Brien, based at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, is one of the leading names in Irish racing and his yard has sent out 171 winners already this season alone — that level of output means horses in his care are prepared carefully and placed shrewdly. When a trainer of that calibre singles out a three-year-old as smart and starts pointing it towards a prestigious target, it is worth taking seriously. The Tetrarch Stakes is one of the top mile races of the Irish spring, and if Greek Mythology lines up there, it will be a significant step up in class.

Still only three years old and last raced just a day ago, this is a horse right in the middle of its story. The debut win gave it a foundation, the placed runs since have built the case, and a big-race entry now puts the next chapter firmly in sight.