Lone Star

The peak of that career came on 24 March 2023, when Lone Star won a Class 2 race at Musselburgh — one of the better races in Britain — a result that stands out like a high-water mark against an otherwise workmanlike profile. His first win had come just three months earlier, on Boxing Day 2022 at Newcastle, and that course has been kind to him ever since: two wins from just four races there is a remarkable return, winning half his visits to a track where most horses win far less often. He most recently won at Market Rasen in June 2025, though that was 12 months ago now, and his last six runs — a mix of thirds, fourths, and a distant tenth — show a horse who is running consistently without quite finding the winner's enclosure.

One thing the numbers make clear is that ground conditions matter enormously to Lone Star. On slightly soft, wet ground he has won 4 of 13 races — nearly 1 in 3 — compared to just 2 wins from his remaining 33 races on other ground. That is a dramatic difference, and it means Kirby's team will be watching the weather forecast closely every time they plan a run. His regular partner in the saddle is jockey Joe Williamson, who has been aboard for all 6 of Lone Star's wins across their 33 races together — winning roughly 1 in every 6 rides — a partnership clearly built on familiarity and trust.

Philip Kirby's yard has been in fine form this season, sending out 36 winners, so Lone Star is operating within a genuinely competitive set-up. At nine years old and racing just yesterday, the horse shows no signs of slowing down. A winning return may depend on finding the right soft ground, the right track, and Joe Williamson in the saddle — but when those ingredients come together, Lone Star has shown he can still deliver.