Grey Leader

The partnership with jockey Gary Carroll is worth noting. In 15 races together, Carroll has steered Grey Leader to 4 of its 5 career wins — a win rate of 27%, or just over 1 in every 4 rides. That is a meaningful connection. When a jockey wins more than a quarter of his races on a particular horse, it usually means he understands how the horse thinks and races, and the trainer clearly keeps coming back to him for a reason.

That trainer is R P Burns, based at Collinstown in County Westmeath. The yard has sent out five winners so far this season, which shows it is in decent working order. Burns got Grey Leader to the winner's enclosure as recently as 5 October 2025 at Tipperary — nine months ago now, but not ancient history.

The current form makes for less comfortable reading. A run just yesterday, and the last six results read 7-10-8-15-25-11 — nothing better than seventh, and a few efforts deep in the field. That is a cold run by any measure, and it is fair to say Grey Leader is some way from its best right now. Whether that is a matter of fitness, ground, or simply a horse going through a flat patch is hard to say from results alone.

One thing that may hold the key is the ground. Grey Leader has won 2 of its 7 races on wet or muddy ground — that 29% win rate is its best across any surface type, meaning it wins nearly 1 in 3 races when conditions are soft. That is a horse that genuinely thrives when the going gets heavy, and it is the kind of stat a trainer will be watching the weather forecast for. With five wins on the board, a willing jockey partner, and an active yard behind it, Grey Leader is not a spent force — it just needs the rain to arrive at the right moment.