Taxus Baccata

The overall career record tells one story: 5 wins and 10 places from 16 races, a win rate of roughly 1 in every 3. That is a solid, consistent performer. But the recent form tells a sharper story. Over the last six races, Taxus Baccata has won three of them, finished second once, and placed third once. Only one run — an eighth — breaks the pattern. That kind of consistency is genuinely unusual. Most horses at this level are streaky, frustrating things that give you one good run and then disappear. This one keeps showing up.

Llewellyn's yard has sent out 14 winners already this season, which suggests a team in good shape. The training base at Wroughton sits in the Wiltshire downs, and a stable firing winners at that rate is clearly doing something right. The regular jockey, Jack Quinlan, has partnered Taxus Baccata in 7 of its 16 races and won once together — about 1 in every 7 times they've combined, which is modest. But given the horse's current run of form, that partnership may be about to look more productive.

The class picture is interesting too. Taxus Baccata typically competes at Class 4, which is mid-table in British racing — not the headline acts, but far from the bottom. At that level it has won just 1 from 9 races, a rate of roughly 1 in 9, which sounds underwhelming. Yet the bigger picture shows a horse that finds ways to win. Its first career win came at Uttoxeter in April 2024, and just this week it crossed the line at Aintree. Winning at Aintree means something. It is the home of the Grand National, and even on an ordinary raceday, getting a winner there feels like a statement.

A horse that has won 3 of its last 6 races, just landed a winner at one of racing's most storied venues, and is still actively running is a horse worth following right now.