Alex Belardo

Those distances matter. Alex Belardo does its best racing over seven furlongs to a mile, winning 2 of 13 races at those trips — a win rate of 15%, or roughly 1 in every 6 to 7 races, which is meaningfully better than its overall record. Stretch it too far or bring it back too short, and results drop off. That kind of specific preference is useful to understand: it tells you this is a horse that has to be placed carefully to show its best.

Recent form gives further encouragement. Reading the last six results from most recent backwards — 11th, 1st, 2nd, 6th, a blank, then 3rd — there's a win and a runner-up in the mix, and that victory came at Down Royal just two weeks ago on 19 June 2026, so Alex Belardo arrives in current, competitive form. A finish of 11th most recently is the one note of caution, though a single off-day rarely tells the whole story.

The horse is trained by John C McConnell out of Stamullen in County Meath, a yard that has sent out 36 winners this season — a healthy, active operation. Regular partner Donagh O'Connor has ridden Alex Belardo in 14 of its races, winning once together, which mirrors the horse's overall record rather than adding anything dramatic to the partnership. The real story here isn't the jockey or even the trainer — it's the postcode. Point Alex Belardo towards Down Royal, over seven furlongs to a mile, and you have a horse that has quietly built one of the more striking course records around.