Bells Grove
Bells Grove broke through this week at Ballinrobe, finally getting the nose in front after five attempts. The five-year-old had been knocking on the door — two third-place finishes and a pair of seconds scattered through recent runs — so when the win came, it was a release rather than a shock.
Edward Buckley's yard at Ratoath has saddled five winners so far this season, and Bells Grove's victory adds to what looks like a steady run of form.
Based on TrackLab's analysis
📊 Key numbers
Career totals for this horse
🏁 Next race
Fri 23 Oct
Cheltenham
About 2 miles · Good ground · 16 runners
→
🔍 Full analysis
Our model's view, based on this horse's career and recent runs
What's striking about this horse is how consistent it has been without quite getting there until now. In the last six races, there's only one outing — an eighth place — that falls outside the frame. That kind of record — a win and five places from six starts, a 17 percent win rate — suggests a horse that belongs in this company and knows how to run a race. It's not flashy, but it's the sort of profile that keeps racing yards in business: a reliable performer that shows up and competes.
With a single win from six races across its career, Bells Grove isn't about to take over the racing world. But having just got off the mark at Ballinrobe, it has tasted what it's been chasing. Whether that sharpens it up, or whether it settles back into being a consistent placer, the next few weeks will tell.
⚡ Strengths and risks
What helps this horse and what to watch out for
✓ What works in their favour
✔ Excellent record on good ground: 1 wins from 4 starts (25%)
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Good (a little give)
Loves
Yielding (slightly soft)
Unknown
Good to yielding (mild give)
Unknown
📏 Race distance
Long Distance (2M+)
Likes
🏅 Race level
Class 2 (high-level)
Unknown
🏟 Track shape
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Left-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Left-handed, long straights
Unknown
Right-handed, hilly
Unknown
Right-handed, tight
Unknown
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
21 Jul
🏆 Won
1%
Ballinrobe
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 18 runners
30 May
3rd
Listowel
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 17 runners
24 Apr
8th
Kilbeggan
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 18 runners
25 Oct
3rd
Cheltenham
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 11 runners
19 Sep
2nd
Downpatrick
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding · 9 runners
20 Aug
3rd
Sligo
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 8 runners
🏇 Jockeys
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, most rides first
🏟 Course record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|
| Ballinrobe Sharp |
1 |
1 win |
21 Jul |
100% |
| Cheltenham Galloping |
1 |
1 third |
25 Oct |
0% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
1 |
1 other |
24 Apr |
0% |
| Downpatrick Undulating |
1 |
1 second |
19 Sep |
0% |
| Sligo Sharp |
1 |
1 third |
20 Aug |
0% |
| Listowel Sharp |
1 |
1 third |
30 May |
0% |