Volenti

Winning 4 times from 18 races at one course works out at roughly 1 in every 4-and-a-half races there, which is comfortably better than Volenti's overall record and significantly better than most horses manage anywhere. Newcastle clearly suits this horse — the track, the trip, the atmosphere — in ways that are difficult to fully explain but impossible to ignore. The most recent of those Newcastle victories came on 31 January 2025, about 16 months ago, so the wins have dried up for now. The last six races have brought a third place and five finishes scattered between fourth and tenth, and the form line makes fairly sober reading. But Volenti raced just yesterday, which at least confirms the horse is fit, active, and still being aimed at targets.

Most of Volenti's racing life has been spent at the lower end of the sport — Class 6, which is the entry-level tier of British racing — picking up 4 wins from 26 races at that level, or roughly 1 in every 6-and-a-half. That is honest, workmanlike racing, and there is nothing wrong with it. Some horses find their level and perform consistently within it, and Volenti has done exactly that. The horse also shows a clear preference for normal ground conditions, with 3 of those 5 career wins coming on a standard surface — 3 from 17 races, or about 1 in every 6.

The most important partnership in Volenti's career has been with jockey Andrew Mullen, who has ridden the horse to all 4 of its Newcastle wins. Together they have a record of 4 wins from 15 races — roughly 1 in every 4, which is genuinely strong for a horse at this level. Ben Haslam's yard has sent out 35 winners already this season, so the operation is clearly in good form. The question is whether Volenti and Mullen can find their way back to Newcastle and repeat the trick one more time.