The real story is what Nakamura can do when conditions suit. On soft, muddy ground, the horse lights up: 2 wins from 4 races there means a 50% win rate, which is genuinely impressive and suggests this is a horse that thrives when the track gets heavy. That's a useful trait in Ireland and Britain, where soft ground is common. When jockey Ben Coen is in the saddle, things improve too — he's won 2 of 7 races aboard Nakamura, a 29% win rate together, well above the horse's overall average.
Trainer J. P. Murtagh's Coolaghknock Glebe yard in County Kildare is in fine form, having sent out 53 winners this season, so the infrastructure is there. But Nakamura needs to rediscover its touch. The last six runs tell a story of struggles — a 13th, 14th, seventh, 12th, and a second place — showing the horse can still finish close but is not converting chances into wins. Still active after racing just a day ago, Nakamura remains a horse worth watching on a soft-ground day with the right jockey aboard, but it will need a course and conditions to suit to break into the winner's circle again.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Curragh Galloping |
5 | 5 other | 4 Oct | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
2 | 1 win, 1 other | 4 Apr | 50% |
| Navan Galloping |
2 | 1 win, 1 third | 28 Aug | 50% |
| Roscommon Sharp |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 12 Oct | 0% |
| Naas Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 9 May | 0% |
| Galway Tight |
1 | 1 third | 31 Jul | 0% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 12 Jun | 0% |
| Listowel Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 22 Sep | 0% |