Sinmara

She has raced just four times so far, winning once and finishing in the places on two other occasions — a record that works out at roughly one win from every four races, which is a reasonable return for a young horse still finding her feet at this level. That sole victory came at Gowran Park on 8 April, and by all accounts it was not a close-run thing. Joseph Patrick O'Brien, who trains her from his yard at Owning Hill in Co Kilkenny, described it as hugely impressive — the kind of performance that makes a trainer start thinking bigger rather than just ticking off the next stepping stone.

And bigger is exactly what O'Brien appears to be thinking. Speaking in late April, he indicated the yard's next target for her is the Athasi Stakes at the Curragh, a Group 3 contest — which, for anyone unfamiliar with the ranking system, sits among the better races run in Ireland. If she handles that well, the Irish Guineas is being mentioned as a natural next step. That is a Classic race, one of the most prestigious mile races for three-year-olds in the Irish calendar. The ambition here is not subtle.

What adds an interesting wrinkle is O'Brien's observation that while she does not need to go beyond a mile based on how she won at Gowran, he believes she will eventually be suited by longer distances. That is the mark of a horse whose trainer thinks she has more to give as she matures — a tantalising prospect if the next few races go to plan. O'Brien's yard has sent out 160 winners this season alone, so this is not an outfit given to empty optimism. When they start talking about Classics, it is usually worth paying attention.