English Oak

That was nearly two years ago now. Since then, English Oak has managed just one more victory, at Meydan in Dubai last January, and his form has been patchy. He has won 4 races from 24 starts overall—a win rate of roughly 1 in 6—and in Class 2 company specifically, where he belongs, he has won just once in 10 attempts. The gap between that dazzling Ascot afternoon and the reality of sustained success has been widening. Trainer Hamad Al Jehani has been candid about the disappointment: English Oak looked capable of becoming a Group horse, the sort that competes at the very highest level, but things have not quite gone his way. Still, the trainer noted recently that the horse looks well and has begun drifting back down the weights toward the mark he won off at Ascot, which suggests there may yet be another race in him at this level.

With James Doyle in the saddle—the pair have won twice from six races together, a win rate of one in three—English Oak showed more sparkle in Dubai than he had for months. The horse seems to have relished the warmth and the different racing environment, and Doyle's work since has been encouraging. The 6-year-old is still actively racing, having run just days ago, and while the consistency that marks out a truly reliable racehorse remains elusive, there is enough evidence that he has not forgotten how to win.