Map Of Stars

Graffard has been effusive about this horse at every turn, and what stands out is the consistency of what he describes. After an early win, he noted that Map Of Stars had ranged up to challenge his rivals almost effortlessly — and then, interestingly, barely bothered to put the race to bed, doing just enough to win. That is either a sign of a horse still maturing, or one so naturally talented it doesn't need to try. When he spoke ahead of the Ascot run, Graffard pointed to the fact that the horse who had beaten Map Of Stars in the French Group 1 Prix Ganay had gone on to win another Group 1 since — a neat way of saying: don't read too much into that defeat. The company he is keeping is elite.

The yard has sent out six winners this season, and Graffard is clearly not a trainer who sends horses to Ascot for the day out. His post-race comments after earlier runs used the kind of language trainers rarely reach for lightly — "a real good one," he said, pointing to the way the horse quickened and the signs of genuine mental maturity developing. For a trainer of his experience, that is not a throwaway line. Map Of Stars raced just one day ago and remains very much in the thick of his campaign. Whatever comes next, this is a horse whose story is still being written — and so far, the opening chapters are very good indeed.