Exceptionally

The horse is trained by A P O'Brien at Cashel in County Tipperary, one of the most successful yards in Britain and Ireland. O'Brien's team has already sent out 125 winners this season alone, so Exceptionally is learning the ropes in a yard built on excellence. For a two-year-old with experience in only four races, there is still plenty of time for improvement — many horses don't find their best form until they are older and have learned how racing works. Whether Exceptionally will become a regular winner remains to be seen, but the fact that it has placed in three races shows it is competitive enough to be running in the right company. Yesterday's poor effort could be a blip, or it could signal that the horse needs a different approach. The next few runs will tell.