Apollo One

The other win came first, back in November 2022 at Kempton Park on the all-weather surface — a Class 2 race that served as the opening chapter of what has been a slow-burning story. The Ascot win came nearly two years later, which means Apollo One spent the better part of two years between victories without throwing in the towel. For an 8-year-old horse that has competed almost exclusively at Class 2 level — winning just 1 of those 20 attempts at that grade — the Ascot performance stands out all the more sharply against an otherwise modest record.

The recent picture is harder to be enthusiastic about. Apollo One has not won in its last six races, and finishes of 9th, 8th, and 14th sit alongside a more encouraging 2nd and 4th. The horse is clearly still competitive on its day, but those big days have been rare. Regular jockey Richard Kingscote has ridden Apollo One 11 times and won once together — a partnership that has produced a 9% win rate, or roughly 1 win in every 11 races. That single win together, of course, was the Ascot Class 1.

The training team of P Charalambous and J Clutterbuck have had just 1 winner from their yard this season, so this is not a yard firing on all cylinders right now. Apollo One last raced 29 days ago and remains active, which at least keeps the door open. Whether the horse can rediscover that Ascot form — that one brilliant afternoon that reminded everyone what it is capable of — is the question worth following.