Spiritoftheblues

The horse now returns after a break of roughly five months, which is a long time off for any racehorse, let alone one this young and lightly raced. That said, the yard sending it out has every reason to be confident. David O'Meara, based at Upper Helmsley in North Yorkshire, has been in exceptional form this season — 100 winners is a landmark that most trainers spend entire careers chasing, and reaching it puts O'Meara firmly among the most productive handlers in the country. When a trainer of that calibre decides a young horse is ready to return to the track, it's usually because they genuinely believe it's in good shape.

With just two races on the clock, there is still much to learn about what Spiritoftheblues is capable of. But a win from two runs, a trainer firing on all cylinders, and an Ayr victory already banked — that's a tidy start to any racing career.