Exmoor

That win came at Newcastle on 24 February 2026, and it is the foundation everything else gets built on. A debut sixth is nothing to be alarmed about — learning the ropes in public is part of the process for any young horse — and the fact that Exmoor came back and won next time out suggests exactly the kind of improvement that makes a young horse exciting to follow. One win from two races at this stage of a career is a genuinely encouraging start.

Behind Exmoor stands Andrew Balding's operation at Kingsclere in Hampshire, and that context matters. Balding's yard has sent out 204 winners already this season — a remarkable volume that speaks to an outfit operating at the very top of its game. A trainer running at that kind of output does not lack for options, so when a horse earns its place in the programme, it is because the team genuinely believes in it. Exmoor has had a short break of around five weeks since Newcastle, which suggests a considered approach rather than a rush to run up a record.

With only two races to go on, there is plenty still to learn about where Exmoor sits in the pecking order. But the combination of a debut win, a strong yard behind it, and a patient approach to the season ahead makes this a three-year-old well worth keeping an eye on.