Answer To Kayf

His partnership with jockey John Shinnick is one of the clearest reasons for his success. Together they have won 4 from 15 races — roughly 1 in every 4 — and that continuity clearly matters. Trainer Terence O'Brien, who operates out of Carrigtoohill in Co. Cork and has already sent out 10 winners this season, describes the horse as quick and efficient over a fence rather than spectacular. That might sound like faint praise, but in racing it is high praise — the horses who jump cleanly and don't waste energy are the ones who find something extra in the final stages.

Two conditions seem to unlock the best version of this horse. The first is wet, muddy ground — he has won 2 of his 5 races on the heaviest ground available, a win rate of 40%, which is genuinely impressive. The second is Naas racecourse, where he has won 2 of just 3 races. That sort of record at a single track is not luck — it suggests the track suits him perfectly. O'Brien confirmed as much after the Naas win, saying he appreciated both the drop in class and the soft ground, and describing him as twice the horse he was after jumping so well.

His recent run of form — a win and two fourth-place finishes in his last three starts before a couple of quieter runs — tells a story of a horse who is consistent and competitive at the level he is operating at. O'Brien is open about the fact that handicap company is his natural home for now, but equally clear that he believes bigger targets are within reach. The Cheltenham Festival is the ambition — specifically the novice handicap chase — and with an entry also possible in the Martin Pipe, this is a horse who has already shown he can handle the big occasion. He ran a big race in the Martin Pipe last season, and the team clearly believe there is more to come.