Ballybrack Wood

That single win came at Tramore in October 2024, a tight, twisting track on the south coast of Ireland that rewards horses who know their job. The fact that Ballybrack Wood got off the mark there speaks to a certain toughness — Tramore does not flatter ordinary horses. The win was 20 months ago now, which is a long time to be waiting for a repeat, but the recent form tells a more encouraging story. A win, then a second place, suggests a horse that found a real level of form heading into the back end of 2024, even if results since have been patchier — a fourth and then two sevenths in the most recent outings.

What gives this horse a genuine platform to work from is the yard behind it. Henry De Bromhead, based at Knockeen in County Waterford, is one of the most respected names in Irish jump racing, and his team has sent out 107 winners already this season. That is not a yard that keeps horses around out of sentiment — if Ballybrack Wood is still in training at eight, there is a belief that there is more to come. With a race just one day ago, this is very much a horse still in the thick of things, and for a patient follower, that combination of a proven winning track and a high-quality yard makes Ballybrack Wood worth keeping an eye on.