Zoar

The horse broke its maiden at Naas on 23 August, winning its debut race. Just days later, it ran again and finished second, so it has only ever been beaten once in competitive racing — a remarkable start for any horse, let alone one still learning the ropes at two years old. Currently active and having raced just yesterday, Zoar is clearly being given regular opportunities to build on this foundation, which suggests the yard believes it has something worth developing quickly.

Zoar is trained by Donnacha Aidan O'Brien at Ballyroe in County Tipperary, a yard that has already sent out 31 winners this season alone. That kind of volume and success rate means the operation knows how to prepare horses to win, so when O'Brien decides a young horse is ready to race twice in a matter of days, it is worth paying attention. Everything about Zoar's early career points in one direction: this is a horse that has learned fast and shown it belongs on the track.