Gstaad

He won his first race at Navan on 17 May, then struck again eight days later at The Curragh, before capturing a Class 1 race at Ascot on 17 June. That Ascot victory puts him among the very best of his generation, racing against horses from the top yards in Britain and Ireland and coming out on top. His most recent win came at The Curragh two months ago, and he raced just a day ago, so he is actively campaigned and clearly thriving.

Trained by A P O'Brien from Cashel in County Tipperary, Gstaad is part of a yard that has sent out 125 winners already this season—a sign he is surrounded by quality horsemanship and stable companions of the highest level. O'Brien's public comments suggest a horse of real ability who has occasionally been caught unlucky in his European races, but whose natural talent speaks for itself. The trainer has mentioned Gstaad as a candidate for the English or Irish 2,000 Guineas, one of the sport's most prestigious races for three-year-olds. That kind of talk—even as a possibility rather than a prediction—marks him out as something genuinely special in a competitive division.