Ararat

The story of Ararat is one of talent repeatedly let down by inconsistency. He won his first race at Newmarket in June 2023, and while his record at lower levels—winning 3 of 15 races in Class 4 company—shows he can compete, he remains a horse who produces flashes of brilliance rather than sustained excellence. Ground conditions matter to him: he has won 3 of 12 races on normal ground, a respectable 25 percent win rate, yet struggles on softer surfaces despite being German-bred. The all-weather has become his preferred stage, and Southwell in particular suits him, with 2 wins from his last 5 visits there.

Jamie Spencer, his most frequent jockey, has ridden him five times for a single win, which tells you something about the gap between Ararat's potential and what he actually delivers on race day. His the yard are clearly searching for the right formula—faster ground, the all-weather, and lower-class races where his talent still stands out. The Chelmsford win last month suggests they may be getting closer to cracking it, at least for now. Whether Ararat can string together the consistency his talent demands remains an open question, but that August performance proved he is capable of reminding people why they bothered with him in the first place.