Magician Of Riga

What makes Magician Of Riga worth watching is the stable behind the horse. Trainer Richard Hannon, based at Herridge in Wiltshire, has sent out 111 winners already this season — that is a yard firing on all cylinders, and horses trained there tend to know their job. When a powerful operation like Hannon's keeps running a horse, it usually means they believe the win is coming. A trainer putting 111 winners on the board in a season does not waste time on horses without a future.

The horse raced just 15 days ago, so it is in active campaign mode right now. At three years old, there is plenty of time to develop, and many horses of this age take a handful of races to fully click. The profile so far — placed but not winning, competitive but not quite — is actually very common for a young horse still learning the game. The question is whether Magician Of Riga can convert those near-misses into a first victory before the season moves on.