Constitution River

His most recent win came at Sandown Park four months ago, and he's been racing recently, so he's clearly fit and active. Trained by Aidan O'Brien at Cashel in County Tipperary—a yard that has sent out 125 winners already this season—Constitution River has had a slightly disrupted path. After winning twice last year, including the Futurity at the Curragh, he suffered a mishap that sidelined him for the rest of the season. That kind of interruption can derail a young horse's progress, but his return to form at Chester, where jockey Ryan Moore said he "couldn't have done it any easier," suggests he's come back better than before.

The real intrigue lies in what comes next. O'Brien has flagged the possibility of stepping him up in distance and has even mentioned the French Derby as a potential target—a Class 1 race that would pit him against the best three-year-olds in Europe. At this stage, Constitution River has plenty of options, and recent form shows he's thriving. A horse who wins half his races and returns to racing so quickly after injury doesn't come along every day. Whether he develops into a genuine champion will become clearer over the next few months, but right now, he looks like one to watch.