O'Brien, who runs a prolific Kilkenny yard that has sent out 160 winners this season alone, has found a working formula with Galen over distances around a mile and a quarter. The horse won this week at Goodwood, his most recent race, showing he remains sharp and dangerous. His regular jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, who has ridden him 15 times, has steered him to victory in three of those—a 20% win rate when the pair click. O'Brien's recent comments hint at a horse who thrives with a particular set of tactics: given a free rein and allowed to make his own running, Galen has shown he can take a race by the throat and hold on.
The last six races tell a more complicated story. He won at Goodwood, but before that came two third-place finishes and a fourth, punctuated by one blank. This is a horse who runs well enough to place regularly but struggles to cross the line first every time. Still, he is active and racing this week, O'Brien clearly confident in what he has, and a course specialist at The Curragh with proven ability at a decent level—that is a solid foundation for a five-year-old.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Curragh Galloping |
6 | 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, 1 other | 16 Aug | 33.3% |
| Leopardstown Galloping |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 17 Jul | 0% |
| meydan | 3 | 3 other | 1 Mar | 0% |
| Ascot Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 16 Jun | 0% |
| Goodwood Undulating |
1 | 1 win | 31 Jul | 100% |
| Killarney Sharp |
1 | 1 win | 15 Jul | 100% |
| sha_tin | 1 | 1 other | 14 Dec | 0% |