Nassalam

That win came at Hexham this week, the latest chapter in a story that has been defined by big moments. Back in late 2023, Nassalam pulled off something genuinely unusual: back-to-back wins at Chepstow in December, the second of them a top-level Class 1 race — the Welsh National. Winning that race takes stamina, courage, and a horse who relishes a battle. Nassalam had all three. He has now won 2 of his 3 races at Chepstow, making it close to a home track for a horse based in Rugby, Warwickshire under trainer T Ellis, whose yard has sent out 24 winners already this season.

What really sets Nassalam apart is what he does when the weather turns ugly. On very wet, muddy ground he has won 2 of just 3 races — a 67% record that is frankly extraordinary. His trainer is candid about it: a run at Cheltenham recently on faster ground saw him travel nicely but get found out when the race quickened, a missed fence compounding the issue. The trainer's conclusion was straightforward — fast ground simply doesn't suit him. Heavy ground is where he ups his game entirely, and with the Welsh National on the horizon as a target, the team will be hoping for a wet Welsh winter.

Jockey Caoilin Quinn has been central to some of his biggest days. After the Welsh National win, Quinn spoke about the decision to add blinkers — a piece of equipment fitted over the horse's eyes to sharpen focus — describing it as transformative, turning him into "a completely different horse." Quinn committed early, setting a strong pace, and Nassalam kept finding more all the way to the line. Jamie Moore has also ridden him regularly, winning 3 of their 10 races together — 30% — a solid partnership by any measure.

Competing mostly at Class 1 level, the very top tier of racing in Britain, Nassalam has won 2 of 11 races there — roughly 1 in 5 — which sounds modest until you consider the company he keeps in those races. He is a horse who belongs at the top table, knows exactly what conditions he needs, and at nine years old, is still delivering when it matters.