Achille Des Rocs

Both wins came in a tight six-week window late in 2024. First, a win at Southwell in late November, then another at Catterick Bridge on 28 December. Back-to-back wins like that suggest a horse who had found his stride and was in the form of his life. The fact that he has not won since — those two most recent runs both produced fifth-place finishes — hints that he has not quite recaptured that peak, though he has clearly not disgraced himself either.

The class level where he does his best work is Class 4, which sits in the middle tier of British racing — not elite, but a competitive and respectable standard. At that level he has won 2 of 5 races, a 40% win rate, or roughly 2 in every 5 starts. That is an excellent return and tells you he belongs at exactly this grade. L J Morgan's yard has sent out 14 winners this season, so it is an active and capable operation, and Achille Des Rocs has been one of its more reliable performers when conditions have been right.

The question hanging over him now is whether those back-to-back wins were a high-water mark or simply good form waiting to return. He is still only 7 — not old by any means — and horses can absolutely bounce back after a quiet spell. Anyone watching him next time out will be looking for signs that the real Achille Des Rocs has shown up again.