Ballykinlar

That trainer is Mickey Bowen, based at Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, and the yard has been in excellent form this season with 52 winners already sent out. Bowen clearly knows how to place a horse, and the story of Ballykinlar getting a run at the Cheltenham Festival after only eight or nine weeks in the yard tells you something about his confidence in this horse. The horse finished 11th of 22 in the Martin Pipe — a highly competitive race and one of the most sought-after slots at the entire Festival — despite not being fully fit. That is genuinely impressive, and Bowen described it as "pretty unbelievable" given the short preparation time.

Ballykinlar clearly handles normal ground well, winning 2 of his 5 races in those conditions — a 40% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall record. His jockey Eoin Staples has been the ideal partner, winning 3 of the 5 times they have raced together, which works out to winning 3 in every 5 — an extraordinary ratio that suggests the two have developed a real understanding. His last win came at Sligo in August 2025, and while he has not won in his last 6 races, he has continued to place and perform with credit, including that Cheltenham effort.

What makes Ballykinlar genuinely interesting is the sense that the best may still be ahead of him. He is only seven, he had an unlucky fall as a five-year-old that likely cost him an earlier win, and the team at Haverfordwest are now pointing him towards a beginners chase — a step up in discipline that could unlock a new chapter. Horses who have shown talent over hurdles and switch to fences at this age can improve markedly, and given the way Bowen has managed him so far, there is every reason to watch what comes next.