Ilraawi

That sole run came over four months ago, so this three-year-old is returning from a significant break. Whether that was planned or the result of some minor setback, we simply don't know. What we do know is who is waiting on the other side of it: Roger Varian, one of the most respected trainers in Britain, operating out of Newmarket — the heartland of flat racing. Varian's yard has sent out 86 winners already this season, which tells you this is not an operation that wastes its time with horses going nowhere. When a Varian horse turns up, it tends to be ready.

The second place on debut is actually a perfectly decent starting point. Plenty of horses that go on to win good races don't win first time out — learning to race is a skill in itself, and a horse that finishes second on its first attempt has at least shown it can compete. The question is whether Ilraawi has improved during the time off, and with a trainer of Varian's calibre preparing it, there is every reason to think the answer might be yes.