Arrietty

That win came just this week at The Curragh, on 3 June 2026, and it was the culmination of a run of form that had been building steadily. Look at her last six outings in reverse order and you see a horse that has been knocking on the door almost every time out: second, then a below-par sixth, then three more seconds in a row before the win finally arrived. Four runner-up finishes in recent races is the kind of form that could frustrate anyone watching from the stands, but it also tells you this is a horse operating at a level where the competition is sharp. Seconds don't come by accident.

She is trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien at Owning Hill in Co Kilkenny, one of the most productive yards in Ireland right now. With 160 winners already on the board this season, O'Brien's operation is not in the business of running horses just to make up the numbers — horses that keep finishing second in that environment are horses the team clearly believe in. That Arrietty got her head in front at The Curragh, one of Ireland's most prestigious tracks, suggests the patience was well placed.

At just 3 years old and having raced only seven times, there is still plenty of the story left to write. Whether she can turn that single win into a habit is the question, but a horse who finishes placed in nearly 6 of every 7 races and just won at a top track for a powerhouse yard is one well worth keeping an eye on.