Sparan Nua

What stands out is where Sparan Nua wins. Over distances between a mile and one furlong and a mile and two furlongs, it has won 2 of 3 races. That is a 67% win rate at its optimum trip, which suggests J S Bolger's yard has worked out exactly what this horse needs. The trainer, based at Coolcullen in County Carlow, has been quietly effective this season — eight winners sent out already — and Sparan Nua looks like one of the better prospects to have come through the stable.

The horse's form has wavered slightly in recent weeks. After winning at Cork on 14 June, it has managed just one more win in six races, though it did finish second four days ago and third before that, so the engine is still running. A return to that mile-and-a-bit sweet spot, combined with faster ground if possible, would likely sharpen it up considerably. Still active and with three wins in the bank already at just three years old, Sparan Nua is a horse with room to improve and the breeding of a trainer who knows how to get the best out of it.