Fighting Fit

The career arc tells an interesting story. That first win came at Leopardstown in March 2022, one of Ireland's most prestigious tracks, which immediately signals this is no ordinary plodder. The most recent victory arrived at Listowel in September 2023 — but that is now 33 months ago, and the last six races have brought finishes of fifth, tenth, fifth, and three blanks. The wheels have not exactly fallen off, but the wins have dried up, and at 11 years old the window for adding to that tally is narrowing.

One number does stand out, though. On wet or muddy ground, Fighting Fit has won 2 of 6 races — that is a 33% win rate, comfortably three times better than its overall average. If conditions turn soft and the horse lines up, that is worth paying attention to. Wet ground is where this horse genuinely transforms.

J P Dempsey trains Fighting Fit out of Carbury in County Kildare, a yard that has sent out 16 winners this season — a solid, productive operation. His son L P Dempsey is the regular rider, partnering the horse in 9 of its 22 races for 1 win together, which is roughly 1 in every 9 rides. That is a modest return, but the pair clearly know each other well after all those miles. The horse raced just yesterday, which means it is very much still in active service — no retirement paddock for this one just yet.

At 11, Fighting Fit is the kind of horse that keeps the yard hopeful rather than expectant. The form has gone quiet, the last win feels a long way back, but on the right day, in the right conditions — preferably with rain in the forecast — there may still be one more moment worth celebrating.