Cowardofthecounty

The first victory came at The Curragh in April 2024, and it made an immediate impression. O'Brien noted afterwards that the horse had looked potentially special at home but, as he put it, you never really know with a two-year-old until they face a real test. What struck everyone that day was the sheer size of the animal — over 500 kilograms, which is enormous for a horse that young — combined with a relaxed, unflustered temperament. Big, laid-back, and dominant on debut. O'Brien was already floating the idea of a prestigious race at Royal Ascot straight afterwards.

The next chapter was written at Deauville, where a step up in distance to seven furlongs produced a Group 3 win — one of the better races in Europe for horses at this level. Jockey Ryan Moore, not a man given to wild enthusiasm, said the trip suited and that Cowardofthecounty felt like a horse with a genuinely good future ahead of him. At the start of this season, O'Brien confirmed the target was the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot — a top-level race over six furlongs — suggesting the team see him as a horse capable of competing at the very highest level.

His recent form has backed that up. After a couple of quieter runs earlier in the year, he has finished second, first, and third in his last three races, with that most recent win coming at Fairyhouse just five weeks ago. He raced again only yesterday, keeping himself sharp and race-fit. His numbers over the shorter distances — five to six and a half furlongs — show a 25% win rate, which is 1 win from every 4 races at those trips, and points clearly to where he is most dangerous. With Dylan Browne McMonagle his regular partner and a big yard fully behind him, Cowardofthecounty looks like a horse on the way up rather than one who has already peaked.