Mezzo Forte

The colt broke through at York three weeks ago in early September, which means it has raced three times since then. That last run came just a day ago, and while it didn't land the win on that occasion — finishing fifth — it had placed in the race immediately before it. This is exactly the kind of pattern you want to see in a developing horse: wins arriving, places continuing to come, and the horse staying busy and racing regularly rather than sitting idle. Nothing about the recent form suggests a young horse in trouble.

Mezzo Forte runs for William Haggas, one of Britain's top trainers based at Newmarket in Suffolk. Haggas's yard has already sent out 170 winners this season, which puts him among the most successful operations in the country. The trainer has form with two-year-olds and young horses generally, so there is every reason to think Mezzo Forte is in the right hands to develop properly. At this early stage — just three races in — a win rate of one in three and a trainer of Haggas's caliber suggest this is a horse worth keeping an eye on as it matures and moves up through the classes.