Gameball
Gameball has shown enough promise in his first season to suggest he could develop into something useful, even if his recent form has stalled since a convincing win last autumn. The six-year-old has won twice from seven races, a win rate of roughly 1 in every 3 starts, and has placed in five others—a record that shows he is competitive at the level he is running at. His second win came at Punchestown on 15 October 2025, and it was a performance that impressed his trainer Henry de Bromhead enough to spark thoughts of bigger targets. De Bromhead, who runs a powerful yard in County Waterford that has sent out 110 winners this season alone, noted that Gameball was keen early on but jumped quickly and travelled well, exactly the kind of assessment that hints at a horse with genuine ability if he can settle better in his races.Based on TrackLab's analysis
📊 Key numbers
Career totals for this horse
🔍 Full analysis
Our model's view, based on this horse's career and recent runs
What is interesting about Gameball is how he came to the yard. His owner, Basil Holian, spotted him at Ballinrobe and bought him on the strength of a recommendation from the Slatterys, who had won a bumper with him before racing. De Bromhead said the horse wouldn't impress you at home but the Slatterys' word was good enough, and Gameball's maiden hurdle win at Ballinrobe on 22 July 2025 proved that faith was not misplaced. De Bromhead had his eye on the Royal Bond—one of the top races in Britain for young horses—as a possible next step.
However, his last six races tell a different story. In recent form he has placed twice but failed to win, with a best finish of third. That Punchestown win now sits twelve months in the past, and until his most recent outing just days ago, Gameball had not shown the spark that convinced his trainer to dream bigger. There is still time for him to recapture that form, but he will need to rediscover the settling and jumping that made his Punchestown performance so impressive.
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Good (a little give)
Likes
Good to yielding (mild give)
Unknown
Yielding (slightly soft)
Unknown
Yielding to soft (damp)
Unknown
🏟 Track shape
Right-handed, long straights
Likes
Right-handed, tight
Unknown
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Left-handed, tight turns
Unknown
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
25 Sep
6th
Listowel
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 17 runners
30 Jul
3rd
Galway
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 21 runners
10 Jul
2nd
Kilbeggan
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 18 runners
30 Apr
3rd
Punchestown
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding · 11 runners
30 Nov
4th
Fairyhouse
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding_To_Soft · 10 runners
15 Oct
🏆 Won
Punchestown
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 14 runners
22 Jul
🏆 Won
Ballinrobe
1m6f – 2m · Good · 9 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 |
2 |
1 win, 1 third |
30 Apr |
50% |
| Ballinrobe Sharp |
1 |
1 win |
22 Jul |
100% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
30 Nov |
0% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
1 |
1 second |
10 Jul |
0% |
| Galway Tight |
1 |
1 third |
30 Jul |
0% |
| Listowel Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
25 Sep |
0% |