Crafty Gael
Crafty Gael is a horse that tends to find his best form on normal ground, where he has won 2 of his 4 races — a 50% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall record of 2 wins from 19 races. At seven years old and still actively racing, he is a modest performer on the flat, winning roughly 1 in every 9 races across his career. But the horse's recent form suggests he is in better shape now than his figures suggest. He has won twice in his last six outings, most recently at Southwell just this week on 1 October, which hints that he may be hitting a small purple patch.Based on TrackLab's analysis
Owner
Olly Murphy Racing Club
📊 Key numbers
Career totals for this horse
🔍 Full analysis
Our model's view, based on this horse's career and recent runs
Crafty Gael is trained by Olly Murphy at Wilmcote in Warwickshire, a yard that has sent out 146 winners this season — a large operation that knows how to place horses to their advantage. The horse is most often ridden by Shane O'Callaghan, though that partnership has not yet clicked: they have run together five times without a win. His first career victory came at Worcester on 10 September 2026, and the rapid return to the winner's enclosure just weeks later at Southwell suggests the horse has found a level where it can be competitive. On his preferred normal ground, Crafty Gael is a different proposition entirely — a 50% win rate on that surface is the kind of statistic that makes trainers sit up and consider their options carefully before entering him elsewhere.
⚡ Strengths and risks
What helps this horse and what to watch out for
✓ What works in their favour
✔ Excellent record on good ground: 2 wins from 4 starts (50%)
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on good_to_yielding ground: 0 wins from 5 starts
⚠ Poor record on soft ground: 0 wins from 4 starts
⚠ Poor record on yielding ground: 0 wins from 3 starts
⚠ Yet to win at Punchestown in 5 attempts
⚠ Struggles on RH Galloping tracks: 0 wins from 8 starts
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Good (a little give)
Loves
Soft to heavy (wet)
Unknown
Yielding to soft (damp)
Unknown
Good to yielding (mild give)
Avoids
Yielding (slightly soft)
Avoids
📏 Race distance
Long Distance (2M+)
Likes
🏟 Track shape
Left-handed, long straights
Loves
Right-handed, tight
Unknown
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Left-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Right-handed, hilly
Unknown
Right-handed, long straights
Avoids
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
1 Oct
🏆 Won
Southwell
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 9 runners
10 Sep
🏆 Won
Worcester
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 11 runners
19 Aug
2nd
Worcester
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 10 runners
26 Jul
3rd
Uttoxeter
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 10 runners
24 Apr
8th
Kilbeggan
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 19 runners
16 Apr
10th
Limerick
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 17 runners
22 Mar
13th
Limerick
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 14 runners
12 Jan
9th
Naas
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 19 runners
13 Aug
3rd
Downpatrick
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 18 runners
12 Aug
2nd
Kilbeggan
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 17 runners
🏇 Jockeys
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, most rides first
🏟 Course record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|
| Punchestown Galloping |
5 |
1 second, 4 other |
11 Jun |
0% |
| Naas Galloping |
3 |
1 second, 2 other |
12 Jan |
0% |
| Worcester Galloping |
2 |
1 win, 1 second |
10 Sep |
50% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
2 |
1 second, 1 other |
24 Apr |
0% |
| Limerick Galloping |
2 |
2 other |
16 Apr |
0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 |
1 win |
1 Oct |
100% |
| Wexford Sharp |
1 |
1 second |
7 Jul |
0% |
| Uttoxeter Sharp |
1 |
1 third |
26 Jul |
0% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
8 Nov |
0% |
| Downpatrick Undulating |
1 |
1 third |
13 Aug |
0% |