Kientzheim

That win came at Kempton Park on Boxing Day 2024, in a top-two race, and it was her first career victory. The fact that Nicky Henderson — one of the most decorated trainers in the sport — was on the losing side that day gives you a sense of the occasion. Henderson was gracious enough to call it "a lovely race to start in," which is the kind of thing a great trainer says when he's impressed despite finishing behind. The Kempton victory came against proper opposition, and Haslam has since made clear he thinks she can move up in class from here.

What makes Kientzheim genuinely fascinating is the family she comes from. She is closely related to Epatante, one of the best horses in Britain over the last several years, and you can see the class in how she moves and jumps. Haslam is candid about her — he likes her a lot, calls her neat, and the post-Musselburgh comments reveal a trainer who has been actively working out the puzzle of how to get the best from her. She had been a little free and unsettled at Wetherby, racing behind others. At Musselburgh in November 2025, switched to a right-handed track and allowed to race in front, she pricked her ears and relaxed. Everything clicked. That is a trainer paying close attention.

The numbers support the longer trip too. Over two miles or more, she has won 2 of 6 races — around 1 in 3 — which is a noticeably better record than the bare career figures suggest. She tends to find her best form when given room to travel and settle, and the combination of a step up in distance, the right track, and a more prominent ride at Musselburgh produced a performance Haslam was genuinely pleased with. With Haslam's yard having sent out 35 winners already this season, this is not a horse being quietly forgotten. The pieces are still falling into place, but they are falling in the right direction.