THE current batch of freshman sires is one of the smallest in recent years, and with many of them being horses whom you would not expect to see take high rank with two-year-olds until the autumn, or to excel until their progeny go beyond a mile, there was always a chance that one among them might establish a wide early lead in their category’s title race.

That is what has happened, and although the first serious challenge to his early dominance has emerged, Coolmore Stud’s Zoffany (by Dansili) still leads the way.