Charencey

Most of Charencey's racing life has been spent at Class 5 level, which is the bread-and-butter tier of British racing — competitive enough, but well below the headline events. Even there, it has found winning difficult, managing just 1 from 15 races at that level, a return of 7%. That said, it has placed nine times in total across its career, which means it is rarely running badly — it is the kind of horse that finishes fourth or fifth and leaves you wondering what might have been with a different run through the race.

The partnership with jockey Josephine Gordon is the most striking number in Charencey's file. Together they have won 2 of their 6 races — that is a win rate of 33%, or 1 in every 3 rides. Given that the overall record without her is far leaner, that combination is clearly worth watching if it comes around again. The first career win came at Newcastle in November 2023, with the most recent at Doncaster the following summer — two different tracks, which at least suggests the horse is not entirely dependent on one specific venue or set of conditions.

Charencey is trained by Ian Williams at his yard in Portway, Worcestershire — an operation that has sent out 96 winners this season, so there is no shortage of ability at the top. The horse raced just yesterday, meaning it is very much in active training. Whether a return to winning form is realistic after a two-year drought is a fair question, but the placing record and that Gordon partnership suggest there may still be a moment in this horse yet. Patience, clearly, is the key ingredient.