Cleopatra's Needle

Trained by H Rogers out of Ardee in County Louth, Cleopatra's Needle is an 8-year-old who has been around long enough to know the job. The yard has sent out 6 winners already this season, so there is form in the stable. Chris Hayes has ridden this horse more than anyone else, partnering up 10 times for 1 win together — a 10% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 10 rides. That is below what the horse achieves over the long trips, which suggests the pair may still be searching for the right race to click in.

The most recent win came at Galway on 30 July 2025, a full 12 months ago now. The first career win arrived at Navan in May 2024, so there has been some progress in finding the winner's enclosure — but the gaps between wins are long. What keeps the profile interesting is the recent form. Reading from the last race backwards: 9th, 2nd, 7th, 2nd, 1st, 18th. Two seconds and a win in there suggest a horse that is competitive and placing regularly, even if the victories themselves are rare. With 11 places from 38 races in total, Cleopatra's Needle is the kind of horse that keeps turning up on the right side of the result — just not always at the very front of it.

Raced just one day ago and still active, this is a horse very much in the middle of its season. At 8 years old and with a clear preference for the longer distances, there is a simple enough formula here: find a race over two miles or more, and Cleopatra's Needle becomes a very different proposition.