THE calibre of horses within the four-year-old division looked exceptional last season, and the initial evidence of those early four-year-olds to have already graduated to the track, certainly backs-up the viewpoint that was held by so many within the sport.

Within the last month, nine horses who ran in spring four-year-old maidens alone, enjoyed success inside the rails for new connections, including five maiden winners. Shark Hanlon’s Lemonfield winner Posh Trish, got off the mark for Paul Nicholls in an 18-runner Aintree Bumper, Palmers Hill, a wide-margin winner at Tyrella for Denis Murphy, made a winning debut for Jonjo O’Neill at Uttoxeter.