Meriden

The sweet spot for Meriden appears to be races over seven furlongs to a mile. Over that distance, the record is exceptional: three wins from four attempts, a 75 percent success rate. This is not luck or a small sample size — this is a horse that has found its ideal trip and is performing at a level few three-year-olds can match. The Curragh has been a particularly profitable hunting ground, with two wins from four races there, suggesting the horse handles that track's characteristics with real advantage.

Trained by Denis Gerard Hogan at Cloughjordan in County Tipperary, Meriden is part of a yard firing on all cylinders this season — Hogan's runners have already notched 54 winners. The latest win came at Killarney on 15 July, seven weeks ago, and with racing just yesterday, Meriden remains an active, competitive proposition. At this stage of its career, with proven ability at the right distances and a win rate that sits well above average, this is a horse that could easily step up in class.