Magnolia

The most striking thing in Magnolia's record is what happens when the horse goes to Kelso. Two wins from just four races there is a remarkable return — that's winning half the time at a track where most horses are lucky to win once in five visits. Both wins came in the autumn and winter of 2025, the most recent on 18 November, which means it's now six months since Magnolia last reached the winner's enclosure. The last six races have brought a fifth, a sixth, a distant twelfth, and then a run of placed efforts — suggesting the horse is finding its level again without quite rediscovering that Kelso magic.

Micky Hammond trains Magnolia from his yard in Middleham, North Yorkshire, and it's a stable in decent form — 25 winners already this season, which is a productive campaign by any measure. Joshua Thompson has partnered Magnolia in seven of its 13 races, winning once together, a partnership that works about 1 time in 7. That mirrors the horse's overall record almost exactly — consistent, dependable, not spectacular.

At Class 4, the level where Magnolia most often competes, the record improves noticeably — 2 wins from 7 races at that grade, a win rate of roughly 1 in 3.5. That's a meaningful number. It suggests this is a horse operating at roughly the right level: competitive enough to win, without being asked to do something beyond its abilities. The horse raced just yesterday and remains in active training, so there's every chance another run at Kelso — the place it clearly loves — isn't far away.