Leovanni

Her record on fast, dry ground tells you what she is capable of: two wins from four races, meaning she has won half her races in those conditions. That is a remarkable conversion rate at any level, let alone in Class 1 company, where she has raced five times and won once — a 1-in-5 return against the best horses around. Her trainer Karl Burke, based at Coverham in North Yorkshire, is having a prolific season — 145 winners already — and he has consistently spoken about Leovanni in glowing terms, pointing to her exceptional temperament and the way she travels through races. After her Ascot win she noted that for a two-year-old who had come through the sales ring rather than a traditional yard, her mental composure was almost unheard of.

Her more recent runs show a horse who keeps finding trouble rather than running out of ability. At Haydock she finished on the bridle — meaning she had more to give — after jockey William Buick could not find a gap and got shuffled back further than planned. At York she finished fourth, but Burke pointed out she was giving weight away to the horses that beat her, a significant disadvantage at the top level. The Cheveley Park, one of the biggest races of the year for horses her age, was mooted as a target after that York run — confirmation that the team still believes she belongs in the best company.

She raced just yesterday, which means there is more to come very soon. A now four-year-old with a Class 1 win already on her record, a trainer in the form of her life, and a clear preference for fast ground — if the sun comes out, Leovanni is the kind of horse worth paying attention to.