Secret Of Life

That debut was notable in itself. Ralph Beckett, her trainer, noted earlier this year that she was a big, tall horse who had done well to show her quality at two despite her size — horses built on that kind of frame often need time and experience before they hit their stride. The fact that she won first time out suggested she had genuine ability, and the challenge was always whether she could back it up as the races got more competitive. So far, the answer has been an emphatic yes.

Beckett trains out of Kimpton in Hampshire and is having a prolific season — his yard has sent out 107 winners already, which puts him firmly among the most productive operations in the country right now. That kind of volume means he knows a good horse from a decent one, and the fact that he was talking about managing her schedule carefully back in April — weighing up whether to run her early or wait for a specific race at Salisbury — suggests Secret Of Life is not just making up the numbers. Trainers only handle horses with that level of care when they believe there is something worth protecting.

Three wins from three races is a record that demands attention, but it also raises the obvious question: how good is she really? The honest answer is we do not yet know, because she has not been tested at the top level. What we do know is that she has won every time she has been asked, she is still only three years old, and she is trained by someone who clearly has big ideas for her. The next few months will tell us a great deal about whether this unbeaten record is the start of something special or simply a horse finding her feet in easier company. Either way, she is one to keep watching.