Ballyhiho

What's encouraging about Ballyhiho is her consistency in Class 5 company. She has won 1 of her 7 races at that level, the same win rate as her overall record, which suggests she is in the right grade. Her last six runs tell the story of a horse still capable of fighting: seventh place, then a win, then fifth, fourth, fourth and third. That third-place finish a few races back shows she can still get close to the front.

The partnership with jockey Richie McLernon has worked well when they have ridden together, with McLernon winning 1 of their 5 races as a combination — a 20% win rate that is notably better than Ballyhiho's overall statistics. Trainer D. J. Jeffreys, who runs his yard from Hinton on the Green in Worcestershire, has had a modest season with four winners overall, and Ballyhiho remains one of his regular runners. At six years old, Ballyhiho is in her prime racing years and still proving she belongs in competitive company. She may never be a headline act, but she is the kind of dependable racehorse that can deliver a tidy day when conditions and opportunity align.