Cozone

That last point matters. At Downpatrick, Cozone has won 2 of just 3 races — a remarkable record that amounts to owning the place. For a horse to win at that kind of rate anywhere is unusual; to do it at a specific track suggests something about the way the course suits the way Cozone runs. Whatever it is, Matthew J Smith's yard at Kilmessan clearly knows it too, because Cozone was sent back there this week and won — a victory recorded just one day ago as of writing. That is not a coincidence. That is a trainer reading his horse perfectly.

Smith has had eight winners from his yard this season, which is a solid output for a Co. Meath operation, and Cozone looks like one of his more reliable tools in the box. Jockey James Smith has built a real partnership with the horse, winning 3 of their 18 races together — a win rate of 17%, or roughly 1 in every 6 rides. That is meaningfully above Cozone's career average, suggesting the combination brings something out in the horse.

The recent form tells a punchy story: two wins in the last six races, with a third and a sixth sandwiched in between. Cozone's career began with a first win at Dundalk back in November 2022, and the horse has kept finding the winner's enclosure across three-and-a-half years since. At nine years old, with a Downpatrick win this week, Cozone is not fading — and if you see this horse declared at that track again, you will know exactly why the yard is smiling.