Gracchus De Balme

The most recent of those wins came at Aintree on 3 April 2025, one of the most famous racecourses in the world, followed by another Class 2 victory at Stratford-on-Avon on 30 May. Back-to-back wins at that level, at two very different tracks, suggests this is a horse that turns up ready to compete when it matters. Winning 2 of its last 6 races is a strong recent record — plenty of horses go entire seasons without getting near the winner's enclosure once.

Jockey J J Slevin has been the regular partner, riding Gracchus De Balme in 9 of its 18 races and winning 2 of them — a 22% win rate, which is 2 wins from every 9 rides together. That kind of established partnership matters: a jockey who knows a horse well understands where to find its rhythm and when to ask for more. Trainer J J O'Shea's yard has sent out 8 winners this season, so there is form behind the whole operation right now.

Gracchus De Balme is currently active, having last raced 16 days ago, and at ten years old it is showing no signs of slowing down. Horses of this age with two recent top-level wins are not common — most have faded from that kind of competition by now. Whatever comes next, this is a horse that has clearly found its best form late in its career, and that makes it one of the more quietly compelling stories around right now.