Juan Les Pins

His most recent victory came this week at Newcastle on 12 October 2026, and his form over the past month shows a horse still competing at a respectable level. After winning four days ago, he finished third then sixth, ninth and third again before that latest win—the kind of rollercoaster a mid-career horse experiences when dropped in and out of different races.

The real story is what he does on fast, dry ground. On those surfaces, Juan Les Pins wins roughly 1 in every 3 races—he has 4 wins from 12 attempts on firm conditions—a striking contrast to his overall record. His trainer, Michael Appleby at Oakham in Rutland, acquired him as a purchase out of a lower-level race at Redcar in 2022 and has overseen steady improvement ever since. The horse started off rated 72 and has climbed to 93, and Appleby describes him as a joy to train whose improvement has been swift. A third-place finish in the prestigious Ayr Gold Cup showed smart form, and the trainer was pleased with how he came through the winter and suggested there was still room for him to improve.

Alistair Rawlinson has been his regular jockey, though their win rate together sits at 10 percent—2 wins from 21 races—which may partly reflect that the horse thrives on specific ground conditions that don't always come around. What matters is that Juan Les Pins keeps finding winners, keeps showing up, and on the right day and track, remains capable of justifying his the yard' faith.