Kokbastau

The numbers tell a striking story. From five races total, Kokbastau has won three and placed in four, which means a 60% win rate. That translates to winning roughly three out of every five times it steps onto the track. For a young horse still learning its craft, that is remarkable consistency. The recent form reads 1-1-1-3-6, meaning two weeks of relentless winning before a blip three races back, then straight back to victory. The most recent win came at Sandown Park earlier this week, which suggests Roger Varian's Newmarket yard is timing the horse perfectly.

Varian is one of Britain's leading trainers — his yard has already sent out 87 winners this season — and Kokbastau was first seen winning at Southwell on 27 July. The current winning run started almost immediately after. What makes this period interesting is not just the victories themselves but the speed at which they have come. Three wins in quick succession from a 3-year-old suggests the horse is both improving and being given the right opportunities at the right tracks. Whether Kokbastau can sustain this form beyond the current purple patch remains to be seen, but right now it is one of the horses to watch coming out of Newmarket.