Courageous Sioux

What's most striking is the momentum. After breaking its duck at Nottingham in early July, Courageous Sioux has raced twice more and won one of those, with only a fifth-place finish interrupting what looks like a genuine upward trajectory. The horse is currently active and racing regularly, which means the yard is confident enough to keep it sharp and busy. That's always a good sign—trainers don't push horses that aren't showing them something worthwhile.

Courageous Sioux is trained by Clive Cox, a significant name in the sport. Cox's Lambourn yard has already sent out 48 winners this season, which speaks to the quality of horses passing through and the trainer's eye for getting them to the track in the right frame of mind. Having a young horse with potential in a yard that turns out winners at that rate is exactly where you want to be if you're backing early promise. The recent win at Southwell suggests Courageous Sioux is ready to keep improving.