Dargiannini

Uttoxeter is where he seems to truly come alive. He has won 2 of his 3 races there, which is a remarkable hit rate for any horse at any track. His first ever win came at Uttoxeter in January 2023, and he returned there in October 2025 to win again — a gap of nearly three years, but the same result. Some horses just click with a particular track, and Dargiannini is a clear example.

Trainer Harry Derham, who operates out of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire and has sent out 57 winners this season alone, has been deliberate and patient in how he has managed this horse. Derham has spoken openly about how Dargiannini thrives when he is fresh — given time between races rather than being kept busy. That philosophy has clearly worked, and it explains the selective approach to his schedule. The trainer has made no secret of the fact that Cheltenham is the big target — a significant statement of ambition for an 11-year-old. Normal, dry ground suits him best: he has won 3 of 9 races on those conditions, or 1 in every 3 — a notably strong record.

Jockey Paul O'Brien has been the man in the saddle for most of Dargiannini's biggest moments. Together they have won 4 of their 12 races, which works out to 1 in every 3 — an excellent partnership ratio. That kind of consistency between horse and rider matters, and it shows in the results.

Dargiannini raced just one day ago and is currently active, with Cheltenham now firmly in the team's sights. At 11, he is in the later chapter of a career that has already produced some genuinely good days. If Derham's freshening-up plan works one more time, there could be a big occasion still to come.