Kanzi

The horse has raced three times and won once, which is a strong start at this age — roughly 1 in every 3 races. More telling is the shape of recent form. After that winning debut at Lingfield, Kanzi has run twice more and placed on both occasions, finishing second and then fifth. The most recent outing was just yesterday, which means this is a horse being kept busy and in the mix. For a two-year-old, that kind of momentum — win, place, place — suggests the trainer believes there is more to come. Lingfield clearly suits; that first victory there came at the right moment, and Johnston will have taken note of it.

What stands out is consistency at a young age. Two placings from the last three races shows Kanzi is competitive at every start, even if it hasn't added to the win column since August. The gap between races has been short, which means the horse is holding its form well and the yard is confident enough to run it regularly. In the jumping game, especially with young horses, that kind of faith is usually justified. Kanzi remains active and entered regularly, which is the clearest sign Johnston sees genuine potential.