Conyers Hill

The horse's signature trait, according to trainer Paul Nolan, is consistency married to a curious reluctance. Conyers Hill travels beautifully through a race, settling into a rhythm that suggests a winner in the making. But when asked to quicken and finish, he simply does not find another gear. Nolan describes him as a horse that "doesn't seem to find off the bridle"—meaning he struggles when his jockey asks him for a late surge. This flaw kept him honest even when he won. His last victory, at Down Royal in January 2025, came only after he had to battle hard and dig deep, holding off the second-place horse to the line. A year and a half has passed without another win since then.

The one exception to this pattern is Sean O'Keeffe, the jockey who rides Conyers Hill most often. Together they have won three races from fourteen attempts—a 21 per cent win rate, more than double the horse's overall record. That gap suggests O'Keeffe has found something in the horse's temperament or racing style that works. Nolan's recent thinking—that the horse might benefit from being ridden more prominently, in a "handy waiting race" rather than from behind—hints at an attempt to solve the puzzle. Last autumn, Conyers Hill finished fourth in a Group race at Cheltenham, a respectable result for a horse of his level. With fresh tactics and a jockey who has unlocked his potential before, there may yet be another win in him.