Stuzzikini

Now seven years old, Stuzzikini has been around long enough to develop a clear personality on the track. It particularly likes slightly wet ground — the kind where the turf has a bit of give underfoot but hasn't turned into a mud bath — and on that surface it has won 2 of just 5 races, a remarkable 40% success rate. That is not a coincidence; that is a horse that comes alive when conditions suit. The team and jockey Jack Kennedy, who has ridden it six times and won once together, will have that preference firmly in mind when deciding when to run.

The last win came at Navan in November 2024, which is now 17 months ago — a gap that feels significant. The most recent run was 342 days ago, meaning Stuzzikini is returning from almost a full year off the track. Horses coming back from long breaks can be unpredictable: some need a race to shake off the rust, others come back sharper than ever. The recent form before that absence was mixed — a win sandwiched between some less convincing efforts — so there are questions to answer on its return.

What gives cause for genuine optimism is who is overseeing the comeback. Gordon Elliott's yard at Longwood in County Meath is one of the most powerful operations in Ireland, having sent out 209 winners already this season alone. That kind of firepower means horses come back race-fit, not ring-rusty. Elliott knows how to place a horse, and Stuzzikini's record shows there is talent here worth nurturing. Whether it can rediscover that November 2024 form and add a sixth win is the question — but with the right ground underfoot and Elliott pulling the strings, the ingredients are certainly there.