Capone

In 24 races, he has won once and placed nine times — a win rate of just 4%, or roughly 1 in every 24 races. That single win came at Chester in June 2023, now 36 months ago, and it remains the only time he has reached the winner's enclosure. His most recent six races have returned finishes of 9th, 5th, 5th, 9th, 6th and 6th — consistent enough to suggest he belongs in the race, not quite consistent enough to threaten the front. At the level he typically competes at, the lowest tier of British racing, he has yet to convert any of his 13 attempts into a win, which is a hard statistic to ignore.

His best performances tend to come over longer distances — between a mile and six furlongs and two miles — where he has won 1 from 13 races. That 8% win rate in that bracket is modest, but it represents every bit of his ability being channelled into the right conditions. When Dominic's son Ben Ffrench Davis rides him, the partnership has yet to click, with five races together and no wins between them.

What keeps the story alive is that Capone raced just one day ago, so this is not a horse winding down quietly. The yard has sent out 10 winners this season, which shows there is plenty of life in the operation. Whether Capone can add to that tally at 11 years old is the open question — but a horse given as a retirement gift, trained by the man whose son rides him, has a way of sticking around longer than the numbers might suggest.