Rousing Encore

His biggest moment came at York on 14 May 2025, in one of the top races in Britain at Class 2 level, over six furlongs on fast, dry ground. Ruth Carr's post-race account is worth paying attention to: the team worried they might be drawn on the wrong side of the track, and Rousing Encore is the kind of horse who likes a bit of cover rather than leading from the front. His regular jockey James Sullivan, who has ridden him to 3 of his 6 wins across 23 races together, made a smart tactical call — edging onto the rail and letting the horse put his head down and fight. That is exactly the sort of combination of quick thinking and honest effort that wins decent races, and Rousing Encore delivered. He followed that York win with another victory at Ayr in September 2025, where he has now won 2 of his 4 races — a course record that marks him out as a genuine specialist on that track.

Carr is plainly fond of him. She has described him as her trainer's pick and her ride at home — stable favourite territory, in other words. Earlier this season he ran well on his first outing at Newcastle, beaten only by a horse the Carr camp believe could develop into a top-level performer. That kind of form in defeat tells you the horse is still operating at a good level. The yard itself has been in strong form, sending out 63 winners this season, and with a six-furlong race at Newmarket next on the agenda, Rousing Encore heads there with the trainer's confidence behind him. He has not won in his last six races, but his recent form figures — finishing second and third among them — suggest he has not gone off the boil. With a horse like this, the next win rarely feels far away.