Count Bezukhov

One run tells you almost nothing about a horse's ceiling, but what is worth noting is who is responsible for this one. Joseph Patrick O'Brien, based at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, has sent out 160 winners already this season — that is a remarkable volume of success, and it tells you this is one of the most productive yards in the game right now. Having your horse trained there means it is surrounded by serious quality and serious expertise. A third-place finish on debut is a perfectly respectable start, and horses trained in operations like this often improve sharply as they gain experience.

There is simply not enough racing history yet to say what Count Bezukhov might become, but the trainer behind him gives every reason to keep watching.