Jack Channon's yard at West Ilsley has clearly found the right formula. Mezcala has won 4 races from 11 starts overall, a respectable 36% win rate, but the real story is recent consistency. In Class 5 company—the level where it typically competes—it has won one of three races, which speaks to a horse that is genuinely competitive at its natural level rather than one that looks good on paper by padding its record against weaker opposition.
The partnership with George Bass in the saddle has proved particularly effective. Bass has ridden Mezcala to two wins from five races together, a 40% win rate that sits above the horse's overall average. This kind of jockey-horse compatibility often matters more than raw statistics suggest—it hints at understanding and rhythm that develops over time. Distance-wise, Mezcala has found its sweet spot at 7 furlongs to a mile, winning two of three races at that range, which is a 67% win rate that shows this is the horse's proper trip.
What makes Mezcala genuinely interesting is not that it is a star—it plainly is not—but that it is a sound, consistent horse that has learned to win at the right tracks, at the right distances, and in the right hands. Recent form like this, with three wins in six races, suggests it could keep paying its way through the winter if Channon and Bass continue to pitch it into the right races.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascot Galloping |
3 | 2 wins, 1 other | 3 Oct | 66.7% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
2 | 1 win, 1 other | 12 Sep | 50% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
1 | 1 win | 21 Aug | 100% |
| Newbury Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 16 May | 0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 9 Jul | 0% |
| Nottingham Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 31 Jul | 0% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 6 Sep | 0% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 26 Sep | 0% |