The trainer is Brian Meehan, who runs the yard at Manton in Wiltshire. Meehan's operation has sent out 12 winners already this season, which suggests the stable is in decent form — and that Hereward will at least have competent handling and a team that knows how to get a young horse ready. For a debut runner, that quiet competence matters more than you might think. The real test, though, is Hereward's own temperament and natural speed. A first race tells you a lot about what a horse is made of.