Pilu

What's striking about Pilu's progress is how Teal has managed his development. As a two-year-old, Pilu won his first two races at Bath and then somewhere else before hitting a bump in a conditions race at Salisbury where the trainer suspects the tactics were off. Instead of pushing him hard, Teal kept him working through the winter and brought him back as a three-year-old with realistic expectations. That kind of restraint pays off—and this week's Newmarket win suggests the patience has worked. Looking at his last six runs, Pilu has been mixing good days with ordinary ones: a win, then middle-of-the-field finishes, then a second place, then a fifth. It's the profile of a horse still learning the game but capable of beating decent opposition when things click. At three years old, with only eight races under his belt and a fresh win, there is likely more to come from him.