Helga

Her recent form tells a story of recovery. After that second win at Kempton in January, she finished eighth in her next outing, but her most recent race — 32 days ago — saw her back in the winner's enclosure. That break has likely done her good. She is trained by Andrew Balding at Kingsclere in Hampshire, one of Britain's most consistently successful yards; Balding has sent out 204 winners already this season alone, so Helga is in a stable with real pedigree and resources. The yard's track record suggests she is being aimed at the right opportunities.

What marks Helga out is that Kempton has become her stage. Two wins at the same track inside a month is no accident — that is a horse who knows the course and has shown she can handle what it throws at her. She is young enough to improve, and with a trainer of Balding's quality, there is every reason to think her recent return to winning ways marks the beginning of a real run.