Hidden Force

That opening win at Kempton Park gives the team something solid to build on. Kempton's all-weather track rewards a certain kind of horse — one that handles a consistent, reliable surface well — and getting off the mark there first time out suggests Hidden Force takes to that environment naturally. The most recent run came just yesterday, so this is a horse right in the thick of its season, with the experience of three races now under its belt.

Behind the scenes, the training operation is one of the most powerful in Britain. Charlie Appleby, based at Newmarket, has sent out 121 winners already this season — a number that puts his yard among the very busiest and most successful in the country. Horses don't land in that environment by accident, and the fact that Hidden Force is being campaigned actively at three years old, with a win already secured, suggests the team see real potential worth developing. At this early stage, the most interesting question is simply where they point it next.