Ballyskeagh

That magic came at Leopardstown on 16 July, when Ballyskeagh broke its duck in style. For a two-year-old, a maiden victory is a door opening — proof the horse belongs in the racing game. Joseph Patrick O'Brien's yard has sent out 160 winners already this season from Owning Hill in Co Kilkenny, and Ballyskeagh now carries the colours of a serious operation. The gap of eight weeks between that win and now suggests the trainer is being patient, possibly waiting for the right race or ground. That patience, combined with a recent second place, points to a horse being primed for another crack at the winners' circle sooner rather than later. With only four races under its belt, there is still plenty of room for this young horse to develop, and a trainer of O'Brien's calibre does not keep a horse in training for the fun of it.