La Botte

That single win came at Newcastle on 29 March 2025, and it remains the only time La Botte has reached the winner's enclosure in its career. What is worth noting is that it came over a distance between 7 furlongs and a mile, and that is clearly where this horse is most comfortable. In three races at that trip, La Botte has won one — a 33% record, or 1 from 3 — which is a genuinely strong ratio and suggests the key to unlocking more wins could simply be finding the right race at the right distance.

The recent form figures tell a less encouraging story. Over the last six races, the sequence reads 13-8-7-14-4-2, which means La Botte has not come close to winning and has twice finished well down the field. However, that second-place finish is a glimmer — the horse clearly has the ability to compete when conditions suit. The partnership with jockey Jamie Spencer has not clicked yet: six races together and no wins between them, which is the kind of statistic that tends to raise eyebrows in a yard that has otherwise been in good form. Eustace's team has sent out 24 winners this season, so the operation knows how to win races — La Botte just hasn't been part of that tally.

Having raced just one day ago, La Botte is clearly being kept busy, which suggests the team believes there is a race to be won somewhere in the near future. Fifteen months is a long time to be waiting for a second career victory, but with the right trip and the right conditions, this is a horse that has shown it can do it.