Iroko

His overall record tells a story of a horse who finds the very top level just a fraction beyond him, but who is genuinely capable of winning good races when the conditions suit. From 19 races he has won 5 and placed 10 times — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 4 races — and that 5 wins from 19 is a solid return for a horse who has spent much of his career competing in some of the best races in Britain. His two Class 2 wins stand out: one at Cheltenham in March 2023, one of the most famous racecourses in the world, and another at Ascot on 20 December 2025, just four months ago. Those are proper occasions, and he rose to both.

Against the very best, in Class 1 company, he has yet to win in 10 attempts. But rather than reading that as failure, his trainer sees it as evidence of potential still to be unlocked. His fourth-place finish at last year's Grand National — the world's most famous steeplechase, run over more than four miles at Aintree — came on fast, dry ground that was entirely against him. Jockey Jonjo O'Neill Jr came back in and said plainly that it was a year too soon. The horse was run off his feet early, struggled to find his rhythm, but kept grinding all the way to the line. That is exactly the kind of effort that makes a team want to come back.

The plan for this season is pointed and purposeful: a possible return to Kelso, a track the team likes for its smaller fields and its distance of nearly three miles, then straight to Aintree and another crack at the Grand National. On soft or muddy ground, a year stronger, with a run in the race already under his belt — the team believes there are real reasons to think Iroko can improve significantly on what he showed last time. His recent form has been patchy, but the Ascot win showed he still has plenty to offer when he gets into top gear.