Many A Star

The broader career numbers tell the story of a solid, consistent performer rather than a superstar. Ten wins and 24 places from 52 races — a win rate of 19%, just under 1 in every 5 starts — with the bulk of his racing at Class 4 level, where he has won 5 from 24 (21%). But there are moments of genuine quality in there too. He won a Class 2 race at Goodwood in July 2022, came back to the same track and did it again in August 2023, and his very first win came at Ascot. Those are two of the most prestigious flat racing venues in Britain, which tells you he is capable of stepping up when the occasion demands it.

Osborne is clear about what brings the best out of him: fast, dry ground. On normal conditions he wins 5 from 17 races — a 29% win rate, nearly 1 in 3 — and the trainer has said he believes the horse is notably better on a quicker surface, even though he has won on wet ground before. The post-race comment after a below-par effort at Goodwood echoed exactly that: the wet conditions simply did not suit him, and the softer-ground horses had the advantage.

At nine, Many A Star is not getting younger, but the evidence suggests he is still very much in form. He won at Wolverhampton as recently as four months ago, and his last six results include a win, a second, and a fourth — a horse in active, competitive nick. Saffie Osborne, daughter of the trainer, has ridden him in 16 of his races and won twice together, and the yard at Upper Lambourn has sent out 47 winners this season alone. A horse this consistent, with a course he loves and a yard this sharp behind him, is not done yet.