Volenti

Of Volenti's 5 career wins, 4 have come at that one track. Nineteen races at Newcastle, four wins — that is a win rate of 21%, more than double what it manages elsewhere. For context, a horse winning 1 in 5 races at any track is considered a solid performer. Volenti is close to that at Newcastle specifically, which means whenever it heads back there, it becomes a very different proposition. Its last win came at Newcastle on 31 January 2025, so it has been 17 months since it last got its head in front, but the form around that win was encouraging enough that the yard clearly still believes in it.

The partnership with jockey Andrew Mullen is worth noting. In 17 rides together, Mullen has guided Volenti to 4 of those 5 wins — that is winning roughly 1 in every 4 races they have run together, which is a genuinely strong number at this level. There is an obvious shorthand between them that shows up in the record, and when the two are paired at Newcastle, the combination looks especially potent on paper.

Volenti is most at home on normal ground and in Class 6 races, which are the entry-level contests in British racing. Four wins from 26 races at that level — about 1 in 6 — is a respectable return, and it tells you this is a horse that competes honestly within its range rather than punching above its weight. The recent form reads 4-3-4-4-7-9, meaning it has been placing without winning across its last six races. The placings keep coming — three finishes in the top four from the last six — but the win has not arrived. Ben Haslam's yard has been in strong form this season, sending out 35 winners, so the support structure is there. Volenti is active, consistent, and still placing. For a 7-year-old with a favourite track, the next trip to Newcastle will be watched with interest.