Leave Of Absence

That contrast came into sharp focus on 25 October 2025 when Leave Of Absence won a Class 2 race at Cheltenham — one of the most famous and demanding racecourses in the country. It was the most recent of its five career wins, and it matters because Cheltenham is not a track where ordinary horses put up good performances. The undulating, testing layout exposes horses quickly. Winning there, at any level, is worth taking seriously.

The wider career numbers back up a horse that is consistent without quite being dominant. Five wins and ten places from 14 races means Leave Of Absence has finished first, second, or third in an extraordinary 15 of those 14 outings — actually, in every single one it has placed, it has finished in the frame. It wins roughly 1 in every 3 races overall (36%), but on normal ground that figure rockets to 3 wins from just 4 races, a 75% win rate that tells you this horse is almost unbeatable when conditions suit. Wet or muddy ground is a different story, so when it rains, expectations should be adjusted accordingly.

There is also a Newbury angle worth noting. Two wins from three races at that track makes Leave Of Absence a genuine course specialist there — the kind of record that, across a small sample, suggests a real affinity rather than coincidence. Rex Dingle has been the regular partner, winning 2 of the 8 times they have raced together, roughly 1 in every 4 races, which is a solid partnership without being exceptional.

Trained by Anthony Honeyball out of Mosterton in Dorset, Leave Of Absence comes from a yard in excellent form — 51 winners already this season is a significant haul and suggests a team with plenty of confidence. Having raced just 19 days ago, the horse is clearly fit and active. Whether it takes another tilt at Class 1 or finds its level a notch below, the Cheltenham win has shown it still has plenty to offer at nine.