Zestful Hope is trained by Charlie Longsdon at Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, a yard that has sent out 31 winners already this season — so this is not a horse sitting in an underperforming stable. It first won at Hereford on 31 January 2022, and that track has been a happy hunting ground ever since. Most recently it won at Huntingdon back in October 2025, which remains its last success to date. That was nine months ago now, and the form since has been modest — finishing fourth, third, sixth, fifth, and ninth across its last five completed races, with one non-finish in there too.
The partnership with jockey Paul O'Brien tells a similar story of quiet consistency rather than fireworks. Together they have won 2 from 14 races — roughly 1 in every 7 — which is decent without being spectacular. At the Class 4 level where Zestful Hope does most of its work, it has won 4 of 34 races, again around 1 in 8. These are not barnstorming numbers, but they paint a picture of a reliable, honest competitor who turns up week after week and occasionally delivers.
What keeps Zestful Hope interesting is that it raced just one day ago and is clearly still in training and fighting fit at nine years old. The current losing run stretches to six races, but the Hereford record is the number that matters most: when conditions and course align, this horse has a habit of winning. The question for anyone following it is simple — when does it next head back to Hereford?
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hereford | 8 | 4 wins, 1 second, 1 third, 2 other | 22 Feb | 50% |
| Warwick Sharp |
5 | 1 third, 4 other | 3 Jun | 0% |
| Huntingdon Galloping |
4 | 1 win, 1 second, 2 other | 7 Oct | 25% |
| Worcester Galloping |
3 | 3 other | 31 Aug | 0% |
| Fontwell Park Tight |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 28 Mar | 0% |
| Market Rasen Sharp |
2 | 2 other | 5 Jul | 0% |
| Chepstow Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 7 Jan | 0% |
| Wincanton Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 16 Dec | 0% |
| Ludlow Undulating |
2 | 2 thirds | 18 Dec | 0% |
| Bangor-on-Dee Sharp |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 29 Oct | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 3 Feb | 0% |
| Ascot Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 18 Feb | 0% |
| Plumpton Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 20 Dec | 0% |
| Catterick Bridge Sharp |
1 | 1 third | 1 Jan | 0% |
| Exeter Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 23 Nov | 0% |
| Uttoxeter Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 24 Nov | 0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 15 Dec | 0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 16 Feb | 0% |