Whiskey Pete

His first success came at York in a Class 2 race on 14 October 2023, and his second arrived almost three years later at Newcastle on 1 October 2026 — just last week. The Newcastle win in particular matters because it came after a spell when, as trainer Nigel Tinkler put it, Whiskey Pete "lost his way a bit." What Tinkler had noticed was that the horse needed specific conditions to show his best. He wants ground that is fast and dry, not heavy or all-weather surfaces, and he needs around a mile to a mile and a quarter — any longer and he stretches out of his depth. At those distances with the right conditions, Whiskey Pete has won 1 of his 8 races, a 12% win rate that suggests there is real ability lurking in there when everything lines up.

His most recent form, though, suggests he remains inconsistent. In his last six races he has finished fourth, first, seventh, sixth, eighth and second — a wide scatter that shows he can produce a win but cannot be relied upon to do so. Class 4 racing, where he has raced eight times, has been a particular struggle with zero wins. He runs regularly for jockey Alex Jary, but they have found no winning formula together in seven rides. That said, Whiskey Pete is clearly active and his trainer, based at Langton in North Yorkshire, clearly still sees potential in him. The yard has sent out 37 winners this season, so Tinkler is doing something right — even if Whiskey Pete remains a project rather than a reliable earner.