Deressa

What makes Deressa worth paying attention to is a clear pattern in where and when it performs. Half of its races on wet or muddy ground have ended in a win — 2 wins from just 4 attempts — which tells you this is a horse that comes alive when the weather turns. Plenty of horses tolerate soft ground; Deressa appears to actively prefer it. That's the kind of edge that matters when you're trying to work out whether a horse is going to show up on the day.

The course record at Gowran Park is equally striking. Two wins from six races there — that's 1 in every 3 visits to the same track — and it was at Gowran Park that Deressa got off the mark entirely, winning there for the first time back in April 2025. Some horses just take to certain tracks, whether it's the shape of the bends, the way the ground drains, or simply the distance configuration. Whatever the reason, Gowran Park has been a happy hunting ground. The most recent win came this week at Ballinrobe in late June 2026, confirming the horse is in form right now, not coasting on past glories.

At distances between a mile and a mile and two furlongs, Deressa has won 2 of 5 races — 40% — which is a strong conversion rate and suggests the team at Cashel have a clear picture of where this horse belongs. P Twomey's yard has sent out 35 winners already this season, so this isn't a stable guessing its way through the calendar. Regular partner Chris Hayes has been aboard for 9 of those 12 races and has won 2 of them together, building what looks like a genuine understanding with the horse. The combination of a trainer in form, a jockey who knows the horse, and soft ground on the forecast is probably the most exciting thing Deressa's followers could hope to see on a racecard.