Verney Fox

Verney Fox arrived at the track with something to prove and proved it straightaway. The 4-year-old broke its maiden this week at Ffos Las, winning on debut with a perfect record of one win from one race. A horse that strikes first time out carries real promise — it means the horse was ready, the trainer knew it, and everything came together on the day. For a yard like Paul Nicholls's operation at Ditcheat in Somerset, which has already sent out 91 winners this season, adding another debut winner to the tally is routine excellence. But for Verney Fox, this is the beginning of something. Still active and fresh from racing just a day ago, the horse's next few outings will tell us whether this is the start of a real winning streak or a flash in the pan. Either way, Ffos Las clearly suits whatever this horse has got, and that is always worth remembering.