Kanzler

The horse is by Tai Chi out of a Shirocco mare, a pedigree that suggests decent breeding. Mullins, who trains from Muine Bheag, has had an exceptionally strong season with 215 winners to his name, so Kanzler will be going to the races from one of the most successful yards in Ireland. What makes this debut particularly interesting is that the horse is already five years old — most horses are racing by their third or fourth year. The long wait before its first race is unusual and raises questions about whether Kanzler took time to mature, recovered from an injury, or simply wasn't ready for the demands of racecourse life until now. Whatever the reason, Mullins would not be sending it out for its debut without confidence that it is ready.

Since there is no racing history yet, there is nothing to predict. All that matters now is how Kanzler handles the step up from whatever preparation it has received at home to the actual racecourse. First races can reveal everything or nothing — some horses take to it naturally, others need time to settle and learn. What we do know is that the horse comes from a yard firing on all cylinders and carries decent bloodlines into the ring.