Sweet Baby Zou

The figures are modest for now: a win rate of roughly 1 in every 7 races, which is an honest rather than spectacular return. But context matters here. Sweet Baby Zou is only 3 years old, still finding its feet, and that first win can sometimes unlock something in a young horse. Whether it does remains to be seen, but the timing is interesting — the horse raced again just yesterday, suggesting the team are keen to keep the momentum going while confidence is high.

That team is worth noting. Trainer Joseph Patrick O'Brien operates out of Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, and his yard has sent out 171 winners already this season — a number that speaks for itself. Running a yard at that volume and that level of output means horses there tend to be well prepared, and Sweet Baby Zou is part of a genuinely formidable operation. If there is more improvement to come from this young horse, it is hard to imagine a better place to bring it out.