Volenti

What makes Volenti worth watching is the partnership with jockey Andrew Mullen. Together they have a win rate of 4 wins from 17 races — roughly 24% — which is vastly better than the horse's overall record. That gap is significant. It suggests Mullen knows how to get the best out of this horse, and when they team up, the odds improve dramatically. Trainer Sam England, based at Guiseley in West Yorkshire, runs a productive yard that has sent out 49 winners this season, so there is clearly solid form and experience in that stable.

Right now, though, Volenti is in a tough spell. The last six races have brought nothing but minor placings — a sequence of thirds, fourths, and another third — and it has been nineteen months since that Newcastle victory. The horse does have a clear preference for normal ground conditions, where it has won three races from 18 attempts, and most of its racing has come in Class 6 company, where it holds a 15% win rate. At 7 years old, Volenti may not have many seasons left at the highest level it can reach, but the Newcastle record suggests there is still a pathway back to the winner's enclosure — especially if Mullen is in the saddle and conditions suit.