Diego Ventura

The big moment of his career so far came at Ascot in September 2024, a track that carries serious prestige, where he landed a top-level Class 2 race — one of the better races in the country. That was only a couple of months after his first career win at Naas in Ireland in July 2024, so he announced himself in quick and emphatic fashion. His most recent win came just this week at Hamilton Park, which confirms he is in fine form right now and very much a horse worth watching.

Where Diego Ventura is most dangerous is over the shorter distances — between five and six and a half furlongs. He has won 2 of just 3 races at those distances, a success rate of 67%, which is exceptional by any measure. When the race is sharp and sprint-like, he tends to be at his best. It is notable, then, that most of his career has been spent in the very toughest Class 1 company, where he has yet to win from five attempts. That is not a failure — it simply reflects the level he is being asked to compete at, and the fact he keeps finishing placed in those races suggests he belongs there.

He is trained by Hamad Al Jehani out of Newmarket, a yard that has sent out 18 winners already this season — a strong return that speaks to a team in good order. James Doyle rides him most regularly, the pair having teamed up six times together for one win, though recent form suggests the partnership is starting to click at the right moment. With his best racing seemingly over sprint distances and a win just days ago, Diego Ventura arrives at whatever comes next in the kind of form that makes him genuinely hard to ignore.