Birdie Or Bust

Her most trusted partner in the saddle is Rachael Blackmore, one of the most celebrated jump jockeys in the world. Together they have won 2 from 7 races, a win rate of 29% — better than 1 in 4 — which is a noticeably stronger record than Birdie Or Bust's overall average. That suggests the pair bring something out of each other. After their first win together at Tipperary in May 2023, Blackmore was quietly impressed, noting that the horse had done it well and hadn't even had to dig deep — a signal that there was more in reserve.

She is trained by Henry De Bromhead, whose Knockeen yard in County Waterford has sent out 115 winners this season alone. That is a serious operation, and Birdie Or Bust is part of a busy string. Her most recent win came at Listowel in September 2025, and after a flat run at Down Royal, she bounced back with an encouraging performance at Thurles — jumping well, travelling smoothly, and looking like herself again. De Bromhead was candid about it: she hadn't been herself at Down Royal, but the Thurles run confirmed she was back on track.

One detail worth noting is how she performs on wet or muddy ground: 2 wins from just 4 races in those conditions, a 50% win rate. That is a striking number. When the ground gets soft, she becomes a different proposition. De Bromhead, interestingly, has spoken about her preferring faster, drier conditions — so there may be competing theories, or simply different versions of the horse on different days. She raced just yesterday and remains active, with her trainer hinting at a possible trip to Ascot in the coming weeks, though nothing is confirmed. For a horse who has been busy through the summer, a quieter spell may also be on the cards. Either way, Birdie Or Bust is a horse firmly in the middle of her story.