Montemares

The five-year-old got off the mark at Hereford in November 2025, then backed it up with a second win at Market Rasen in December. Two different tracks, two wins — that suggests a horse that travels well and performs under pressure rather than one that simply got lucky on a day when the opposition was weak. The only blemish in those four runs is a fourth-place finish most recently, which came 29 days ago, meaning Montemares is still very much a live force this season.

Behind the horse is Tom Lacey, who trains out of Woolhope in Herefordshire and has had a productive season by any measure — 37 winners sent out already. That is a yard operating with real confidence, and Lacey has a reputation for placing his horses shrewdly, picking the right races at the right time. The fact that Montemares has won half its races so far suggests exactly that kind of careful management at work.

With only four races on the clock, there is still plenty of unknown territory ahead. How Montemares handles a step up in class, a bigger field, or a tougher track remains to be seen. But the early signs are hard to argue with. A horse that wins two of its first four races is one worth keeping an eye on — and with Lacey in charge, it is unlikely to be thrown in at the deep end before it is ready.