Wild Sapphire

The overall numbers are modest: one win from eight races, which works out to roughly one win every eight attempts. But the recent picture tells a more encouraging story. In the last six outings, Wild Sapphire has finished out of the money only once—that was an eighth-place finish most recently—and has otherwise been consistent: a win, a fifth, a second, a fourth, and another second. The horse is clearly competitive at its level and clearly improving. That first win at Killarney last week wasn't a fluke; it arrived after a run of placings that suggested a breakthrough was coming.

It helps that Wild Sapphire is trained by D K Weld at Curragh, one of Ireland's most respected yards. Weld's operation has already sent out 21 winners this season, which means the horse is in a powerful, well-resourced stable where standards are high. A trainer of that calibre doesn't waste time with horses that cannot run—the fact that Wild Sapphire has broken its duck suggests the yard sees genuine potential here. At 4 years old, it is also still relatively young in racing terms, with time to develop further and rack up more wins. Watch for it to build on Killarney and continue climbing through the grades.