Chartwell Jock

That sole career win came at Wolverhampton in January 2025, and it came at a distance that suits him well. Over a mile and a furlong to a mile and two, he has won 1 of 3 races — a solid 33%, which is a very different horse to the one who turns up at shorter or longer trips. The trouble is that step up in class has been a wall: in four races at Class 3 level, one of the better tiers in British racing, he has yet to get his head in front. It is a pattern worth watching — capable at the right distance, not yet cracked the tougher assignments.

His recent run of form reads 4-3-9-–-6-13, and that blank in the sequence tells its own story. He fell at Kempton last time out during a juvenile hurdle, and trainer Seamus Mullins is quick to point out that it was far from a straightforward incident. A rival trained by Harry Derham fell at the last and was fatally injured, and jockey Dan Sansom reported that Chartwell Jock had his attention caught by the stricken horse on the ground rather than the hurdle in front of him. It is a cruel way to lose a run, and it muddies what had been a quietly encouraging performance — he was not going to win, but he was running well enough.

Mullins trains out of Wilsford-Cum-Lake in Wiltshire and has sent out 10 winners this season, which is a yard in decent nick. He has Chartwell Jock entered in a Triumph Hurdle trial at Cheltenham — a prestigious venue and a serious step up in ambition. The horse last won 16 months ago, which is a long time between victories, but Mullins clearly believes there is a race to be won here. Whether Cheltenham is the place where it happens remains to be seen, but at least the team is not short of confidence.