Defiantly

The telling detail is how he is racing now. His last six outings read 1-2-4-16-7-4, which means that aside from one blip eleven days ago, he has been consistently competitive at the higher level. He placed second most recently and fourth the time before, the kind of near-miss form that often precedes a breakthrough. With four placings to go with his two wins, Defiantly is proving he belongs in the mix more often than not.

O'Brien, who sent out 160 winners from his yard this season alone, saw enough in Defiantly over the winter to believe he has matured into a genuine stayer. That assessment looks sound. At four, horses often find their best selves, and a horse that can win at Goodwood—one of England's most demanding tracks—has real credentials. Defiantly is very much a horse in the making, and at this rate, there could be more wins coming.