Mr Montauk

His recent form reads 10th, a blank, and 5th from his last three races. That fifth-place finish suggests some ability, though the tenth shows he has days where things simply don't click — which is entirely normal for a young horse still learning what racing is all about. He ran just yesterday, so the yard will be watching closely to see how he bounces back.

What Mr Montauk does have going for him is the yard he calls home. Trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, he is in seriously good hands. O'Brien's team has sent out 160 winners this season alone — that is not the output of a yard that stumbles into success. It is a sign of an operation that knows how to spot potential and bring horses on at the right pace. For a young horse still finding his feet, being part of that setup matters. Plenty of slow starters have gone on to better things once the penny drops, and with a trainer of that calibre steering the ship, Mr Montauk is at least in the right place to find out what he is truly capable of.