Buddy Batt

Trained by Tracey Collins at The Curragh in Co Kildare, Buddy Batt is part of a yard that has already sent out four winners this season and is clearly in decent form. The regular partner in the saddle is Dean Curran, who has ridden the horse in 7 of its races and won once together — a rate of 1 in 7, which is modest, but the partnership is an ongoing one and the numbers may yet shift. The horse's first career win came at Bellewstown back in August 2023, and since then it has developed into a consistent performer rather than a flashy one.

What really defines Buddy Batt is how it performs on normal ground. Three of its four career wins — 3 from 8 races — have come when conditions are standard, and that kind of surface preference matters enormously in racing. It tells you when to pay attention. When the ground is right and the track is Dundalk, this horse becomes a genuine contender. Its recent form reads 16-6-5-1-3-1, which means two wins from the last six races and a place finish thrown in alongside the disappointments — enough to suggest it is in decent shape heading into whatever comes next. A horse with a clear course preference, a trainer in form, and a race just one day behind it: Buddy Batt is worth keeping an eye on.