Lazare de Star

Being trained by Gordon Elliott matters enormously in this context. Elliott's yard at Longwood in County Meath is one of the most powerful operations in Irish racing, and this season alone they have sent out 209 winners — a figure that represents an almost industrial level of success. When a horse comes out of that stable showing a one-in-three win rate from the off, it tends to get noticed. Elliott's team don't waste entries, and the fact that Lazare de Star has already banked a winner at Leopardstown — one of Ireland's most prestigious tracks — suggests this is a horse being placed with care and ambition.

At five years old and with only three races under its belt, Lazare de Star is still very much at the beginning of the story. The 76-day break since that last run is worth keeping an eye on — horses return from short breaks all the time, and Elliott's yard has the depth of experience to bring a horse back cherry-ripe. There is plenty still to learn about what Lazare de Star can do, but nothing so far has given any reason for concern.