Conyers Hill

What makes Conyers Hill genuinely interesting is the tension at the heart of how he races. He travels beautifully — smooth, relaxed, full of running — and then, when the moment comes to produce his best, he goes flat. Nolan has spoken openly about a horse that "doesn't seem to find off the bridle", meaning the acceleration most good horses produce when asked simply isn't there. Yet he is also a horse that has finished in the top five in 15 of his 24 races, which tells you he is not stopping — just not quickening. There is a difference, and it matters. He keeps grinding, even when he looks like he might get swallowed up.

His last win came at Down Royal in January 2025, and it was a perfect illustration of the contradiction. He was sticky at several fences, looked like he might not hold on, and then held on. Nolan noted afterwards that he "had to battle today" — which is not how you usually describe a horse that travels as well as this one does. Something clicks when his back is against the wall. A fourth place in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham — one of the most competitive races in Britain — shows he can perform at the highest level on the biggest stage, even if a win there remains elusive.

The partnership with jockey Sean O'Keeffe is worth noting. In 14 races together, they have won 3 times — that is winning 3 in every 14, or 21%, which comfortably outpaces Conyers Hill's overall win rate. The pair seem to understand each other. Nolan has talked about trying to ride him more prominently, to give him something to race against rather than waiting for a burst that may never come. It is a tactical tweak that feels overdue.

Fifteen months without a win, and yet the team around him remain optimistic. With 22 winners sent out by the Nolan yard this season, the engine room is clearly ticking over. Whether Conyers Hill can add to that tally depends on whether patience, tactics — and a horse that keeps finding just enough — can combine one more time.