Salkadan

What's most encouraging is what Salkadan does on normal ground. Put it on a standard track and it wins roughly one in every two races — a 50 per cent win rate across four outings that suggests the horse has found its ideal conditions. It seems equally content at distances between one mile three furlongs and one mile four furlongs, where it has won once in three attempts. The yard's trainer, Dan Skelton, has the kind of season that makes any racing stable sit up straight: 198 winners already this year from Alcester, so Salkadan is being trained in an operation firing on all cylinders.

Recent form tells the real story. In its last six races, Salkadan has won twice — most recently at Fontwell Park just five weeks ago — and picked up places in three others. That's genuine progression. A third place, a win, then a seventh, followed by another win and two seconds shows a horse that is starting to understand what it's being asked to do and delivering the goods on the right occasions. Having raced just a day ago, Salkadan remains fully active and in contention, which means there will be another chance to see it prove its worth very soon.