The Liffey

His recent form has been sharply upward. In his last six outings, he has struck three times, including a win at Kempton Park just four weeks ago. That kind of consistency in a five-year-old suggests a horse who has matured into his racing and knows his job. Trainer Hayley Burton, based at Newmarket, has kept him active and competitive, and the horse's willingness to run frequently speaks to his soundness and temperament. Burton's yard has already sent out seven winners this season, indicating a stable in good form.

The Liffey does have quirks worth noting. Heavy, muddy ground catches him out — he has never won on it — and he has shown he prefers quick, firm conditions or standard racing surfaces. At Dundalk, a track he knows well with seven runs to his name, he has won twice, suggesting he is comfortable on the all-weather when conditions suit. What makes him particularly interesting is the distance at which he truly shines. Beyond a mile and a quarter or at less than a mile, his record becomes ordinary. Find him a mile to a mile and two at normal conditions, and he becomes genuinely dangerous. For a five-year-old at this stage of his career, that kind of clarity about what brings out the best in him is gold dust.