Lifting Sails

Her one career win came at Bellewstown last October, and the longer distances seem to suit her best. Over a mile and three quarters to two miles, she has won 1 from 3 races — roughly 1 in 3 — which is a noticeably better return than most horses manage when they are still learning their trade. That suggests she is the type who fills out and improves as the trips get longer, rather than one who relies on raw speed over a shorter distance.

She is trained by Mrs John Harrington at Moone in Co Kildare, a yard that has sent out 54 winners already this season — a serious operation by any measure. Harrington has spoken warmly about Lifting Sails, describing her as a big, lovely horse with room to develop, and the plan is to step her up to a mile and a half and chase what is known in racing as black type — essentially, a place or win in one of the more prestigious, listed races that go on a horse's permanent record and significantly raise her profile and value. That is an ambitious target, and the fact that the yard is setting it suggests they genuinely believe she is capable of competing at a higher level than she has faced so far. With five runs in the book and a trainer clearly thinking big, the next few months could be very interesting for this horse.