Courage Best

Millman trains out of Kentisbeare in Devon and has been in fine form this season, sending out 42 winners — a healthy return that suggests he knows a decent horse when he has one. He's been open about his ambitions for Courage Best: she's one of two entries he has in the Super Sprint, one of the most prestigious races for young horses in Britain, a high-speed dash that attracts the fastest two-year-olds in the country. You don't enter a horse in a race like that without believing she has genuine ability.

The complicating factor has been timing. A setback earlier in the spring disrupted her season just as it was getting started, and Millman has spoken warmly about how she's come back from that — describing her as a very good-looking horse from a strong family who is now building back towards her best. Her last race was just yesterday, which means the team are keeping her busy and are clearly intent on getting another run into her before a potential tilt at the big prize.

At two years old, horses are still learning their jobs, and a mid-season interruption followed by a return to racing can take a few outings to shake off. The three finishes so far — all in the back half of the field — may reflect a horse still finding her feet rather than one without the talent to compete. If Millman's optimism is well-founded and she hits top form before the Super Sprint, those early results could quickly become a footnote rather than the headline.