Almaty Star

Over a full career of 40 races, Almaty Star has won 5 times and finished in the places on 22 more occasions — a win rate of around 12%, or roughly 1 in every 8 races. On its own, that figure sounds modest. But look closer and there is a horse that almost always shows up. More than half of its career races have ended with a top-four finish, and the placing record suggests a horse that competes hard even on days when the result does not go its way.

The most recent win came at Great Yarmouth just this week — a result that will have delighted trainer Robert Cowell, whose Newmarket yard has already sent out 25 winners this season alone. That is a yard firing on all cylinders, and Almaty Star is clearly part of why. The first career win came at Lingfield Park back in September 2023, so this is a horse that has been building its record steadily rather than bursting onto the scene.

Normal ground conditions bring out the best in Almaty Star. On a standard, well-maintained track, the record reads 2 wins from 8 races — a win rate of 25%, or 1 in every 4 races. That is more than double the overall career average, and it is the kind of detail that matters when conditions are right. Regular partner Jack Mitchell has been in the saddle for 11 of those career races together, winning once, though given how well the horse has been running lately, that partnership may yet have more to say.

Almaty Star typically competes at Class 3 level — a solid, competitive tier that sits just below the top end of British racing. Winning there at a rate of 1 in every 18 attempts is tough, but the recent run of form suggests a horse that has found its stride at exactly the right moment.