What gives those expectations some grounding is the yard behind Porto Vecchio. Dermot Weld's operation at the Curragh in County Kildare has sent out 21 winners already this season — that is a serious number, and it reflects a team that knows how to get horses ready to win. Weld is one of the most experienced and decorated trainers in Irish racing, and a horse with this pedigree landing in his hands is no accident. Owners with Frankel-Dubawi stock tend to place it carefully.
The honest truth is that debut runners are a leap of faith for everyone, including the people closest to them. No matter how good the bloodlines, the racecourse has a habit of writing its own script. But if Porto Vecchio shows even a fraction of what its family tree suggests is possible, this will be the first chapter of something worth following.