Kill Vanhowe

The recent form tells a small but mildly encouraging story. Its last two results read 2 and 9, meaning it finished second on one occasion before a much tougher outing most recently. That second place is the one thing to hold onto — it shows the horse can be competitive, even if the follow-up run was a step backwards.

What does add some genuine interest is the training base. A J Martin operates out of Summerhill in County Meath, and the yard has already sent out 15 winners this season — a solid tally that suggests a team in decent form and capable of placing horses where they can perform. A horse trained by someone with that kind of momentum is at least in good hands, even if Kill Vanhowe itself has yet to find the winner's enclosure.

Two races is simply too small a sample to draw firm conclusions. Some horses take time to find their feet, and with an active yard behind it and racing as recently as yesterday, Kill Vanhowe is clearly still being given opportunities to prove itself. The next run will say a great deal more than anything seen so far.