War Banner

The horse won on debut at Newmarket on 26 June, which is exactly the sort of beginning every trainer dreams of. Four weeks on, War Banner ran again a day ago and finished fifth—a step back, but that's racing, and a dip in form over two races tells you nothing certain about a young horse still finding its way. What matters is that trainer Ralph Beckett, who runs a serious operation from Kimpton in Hampshire (the yard sent out 107 winners this season alone), clearly thinks there is enough there to keep running the horse. In racing, trainers don't waste time on horses without potential, especially at this level.

At two years old, War Banner is still a baby in racing terms, learning the game with every outing. A debut winner who has already raced twice speaks to a horse with some natural ability—Beckett wouldn't have gone back to the track so quickly otherwise. Whether that early promise develops into something more will depend on the next few races, but for now, this is a horse worth watching.