Bonito Cavalo

His overall career tells a solid, honest story: 6 wins and 14 places from 40 races, a win rate of around 15%, or 1 in every 6 or 7 starts. He has done nearly all of his best work on normal ground, winning 6 of 13 races in those conditions — again, that near-1-in-2 ratio jumping out. He races mainly at the lower end of the sport's class structure, where the competition is less ferocious, and that is where he has carved out his niche. The jockey who knows him best is Paul Mulrennan, who has won 6 of their 23 races together — more than 1 in every 4 — which suggests a genuine understanding between horse and rider.

The reason he has not been seen at his best lately is a story worth telling. Trainer Jim Goldie, who operates a busy and productive yard out of Uplawmoor in Lanarkshire — 88 winners sent out this season alone — explained that Bonito Cavalo ran into trouble twice over: first a physical problem, and then, as if to make life harder, the horse kicked a wall and made things worse. His last win came at Newcastle back in March 2024, now 25 months ago, and his last six runs have produced finishes of 12th, 10th, 11th, 8th, 7th and 9th — clearly not the horse he was.

But Goldie is optimistic. He spoke warmly about how progressive Bonito Cavalo was on the all-weather last year, and made the point that with sprinters, time off can actually do good — they fill out, grow stronger, and come back better than before. The horse is back cantering and the team are looking forward to getting him back to his best. His record at Newcastle suggests that when he does return there, it would be foolish to write him off.