Pierre Royal

The most telling sign of improvement is how fresh he is in his racing. Just yesterday he was in action, and only days before that, on 26 September, he won at Newmarket, one of the most prestigious racecourses in the country. That victory at Newmarket matters because it shows Pierre Royal can perform at a serious level, not just turn up at modest tracks. His first career win came at Gowran Park back in May, but he has clearly built on that foundation rather than fading away. Looking at his last six races in order: a win, then fourth, third, fourteenth, second, and another win — it is a pattern of someone finding his feet and learning fast.

Adrian McGuinness, training from his Lusk yard near Dublin, clearly has the horse in good shape. The fact that McGuinness's yard has already sent out 45 winners this season shows this is no small operation, and Pierre Royal is part of a team with genuine momentum. At just 4 years old, Pierre Royal has time ahead of him, and the way he is putting together recent form suggests he could get better still. He is proving himself capable of winning races and holding his own against decent opposition — the kind of horse worth following.