Zamond

The horse has found a home at Cartmel, the small Lake District track where it claimed its maiden victory back in July 2022. Since then, Zamond has returned to Cartmel twice more and won again — most recently two months ago — from eight total races there. That's 2 wins from 8 runs at one course, a pattern that suggests familiarity breeds success. On normal ground conditions, Zamond performs noticeably better: 4 wins from 23 races, compared to nothing from other going conditions. That's useful information for anyone watching the entries.

The partnership with jockey Brian Hughes has been particularly fruitful. Together they've managed 3 wins from 16 races — a 19% win rate, nearly double Zamond's overall record. That kind of lift in partnership statistics suggests they work well together, or at least that Hughes knows how to get the best from this horse. Trainer Donald McCain, based at Cholmondeley in Cheshire, has sent out 55 winners this season, a sign of a functioning yard, and Zamond remains an active part of that operation. The most recent form is promising: a win last time out followed by two top-3 finishes, and only one race in the last six where it finished outside the frame entirely. For a 10-year-old still competing, Zamond is finding form at the right time.