Quinault

The headline number is hard to argue with: 11 wins and 17 places from 30 races, which works out at wins in 37% of its career starts — better than 1 in every 3 races. For context, most horses at the very top level of British racing are doing well to win 1 in 5. What makes Quinault's record especially striking is where those wins have come. Four of them have been in Class 1 or Class 2 races — the elite end of the sport — and three of those top-level victories have come at a single track: York. Three wins from just four races at York is a remarkable record. That isn't luck; that is a horse that genuinely knows and loves that course.

The summer of 2024 was Quinault at its absolute peak. Four wins in the space of three months — Chester in early August, Newmarket in late August, York in September — capped off by a Class 2 win at Ascot. It was the kind of form that turns heads and fills trophies. The partnership with jockey Marco Ghiani has been a particularly productive one: together they have won 4 of their 9 races, a 44% win rate that is exceptionally high for racing at this level.

Quinault also has a specific preference worth noting: on slightly soft, damp ground, it has won 2 of its 3 races — a 67% win rate that suggests wet conditions suit it well.

The current run of six races without a win will not be lost on Stuart Williams's team, but it is worth remembering that Quinault raced just yesterday, is clearly still being aimed at the top races, and most recently won a Class 1 at York as recently as June 2025. A horse that wins 1 in every 3 races throughout its career, dominates York, and operates consistently at the highest level does not suddenly forget how to race. Quinault is the kind of horse that rewards patience — and probably another trip to York in the right conditions.