LAST Sunday at Naas was billed as Ascot Trials Day and it provided a few clues for that event.

Etoile was arguably the most interesting performance of the lot. Ballydoyle are well-known for bringing their debutantes along steadily the result being that even winning a maiden will raise an eyebrow or two in terms of a horse’s future.

Etoile won a Group 3 on her debut. Still very green and inexperienced, she got a good trip through but ultimately won pretty easily.

There’s no doubt that she must be an unusually forward type for Ballydoyle to even consider chucking her into a Group 3 first time up, but the manner of her victory suggests a nice chunk of improvement is likely. Timeform went for a rating of 92 with the expected “p” for likely progession. Look for her in the Albany Stakes.

Pistoletto (96) was sent off long odds-on to win a listed race over five furlongs but still looked a massive work in progress and workmanlike was an understatement. (He reportedly lost two hind shoes).

Soffia (108) and Surrounding (107) won a listed race apiece but, while this was a personal best for each, it would be a stretch to say that they are likely Ascot contenders other than perhaps in a handicap.

One who is Ascot bound is So Perfect (110) who made light work of the Group 3 over six furlongs. With two pacemakers from the same ownership to help, she was given the box-seat and won without Moore ever getting too serious.

She’s a very powerful traveller, something reflected in the fact O’Brien nominated the King’s Stand (as well as the Commonwealth Cup) as an option, and those targets suggest Ballydoyle are going to aim for sprint trips rather than stringing her out in trip as once looked possible.

She has work to do to make up the deficit on animals like Blue Point (129) in the King’s Stand or Calyx (118) in the Commonwealth Cup but we know O’Brien is a master at bringing his horses along steadily and further improvement is definitely to be expected come mid-June.