Jakajaro

The most recent of those wins came at York on 14 May, and it was not just a win — it was a statement. Cowell described it as decisive, and noted that the same race was won last year by American Affair, who went on to win the King Charles III at Royal Ascot. That is the company Jakajaro is now being talked about in. Cowell was candid after the race: he had not expected his horse to lead a field of that quality, but said Jakajaro is simply getting faster and better, and he is not entirely sure why. His best guess is that at five, they now know the horse a little better and he has matured into himself.

What makes this interesting is the class barrier he has been bumping up against. In Class 2 races — among the top competitions in Britain — Jakajaro has raced 8 times without winning once. That record looks like a ceiling. Cowell's argument is that this season the horse has become a different animal altogether, and that York has earned him a step into stakes company, which sits above those Class 2 races he has been contesting. The Temple Stakes on Saturday is the likely next target, with Royal Ascot potentially to follow if that goes well.

His most regular partner in the saddle is Luke McAteer, who has ridden him in 13 of his 31 races and won twice together — a win rate of roughly 1 in 6 with him aboard. Jakajaro raced just yesterday, which speaks to how busy a schedule he is currently on, and the trainer's tone in recent interviews is that of a man riding a wave of momentum and not wanting to waste it. A horse that started his career winning at The Curragh in Ireland in July 2023 and is now being entered for Royal Ascot has covered a lot of ground. Whether the class jump proves one step too far remains to be seen — but right now, the signs are genuinely encouraging.