Digby

McLoughlin trains out of Bodeen in Ratoath, County Meath, and his operation has been in decent form this season with 10 winners already on the board. Digby's most regular partner in the saddle has been Patrick M O'Brien, who has ridden him in 15 of his 37 races and won on him twice — a win rate of about 1 in every 7 rides together. That is a meaningful partnership by any measure, even if results have been hard to come by lately.

The dry facts of Digby's recent form make for uncomfortable reading: his last six runs read 14th, a non-finish, 11th, 6th, 7th, and 5th — listed most recent last, which means he has been creeping forward through the placings but has not troubled the judge since winning at Ballinrobe in May 2025, now a full 12 months ago. His first career win came back in October 2021 at Killarney, so he has been finding the winner's enclosure at roughly one win every couple of years in recent times. At the top end of the race ladder — Class 2, some of the better races in Ireland — he has run four times without winning, suggesting that level might be just a notch above his best.

What is genuinely interesting about Digby is simply that he is still here and still competing at 11. Most horses have long since left racing by this point. The fact that he ran just yesterday, is still placing regularly, and still has a trainer willing to target him at decent races says something quietly admirable about both horse and yard. He may not be winning every other weekend, but Digby is clearly one of those honest, uncomplaining old professionals that every stable quietly depends on.