I Started A Joke

The most recent win came at Punchestown back in January, and the form since tells an interesting story. Reading the last six runs from newest to oldest — a below-par effort, then a second place, then that Punchestown win, then a fourth, a third, and another fourth — what you're looking at is a horse that peaked sharply at the start of 2026 and has been finding things tougher since. The win at Limerick on 28 December 2024 was the first time it had ever won a race, so that breakthrough seemed to unlock something, and a second win followed just two weeks later at Punchestown. Whether that momentum can be rediscovered is the interesting question now.

The partnership with jockey Philip Byrnes is the one to watch. He has ridden I Started A Joke in five of its nine races and has that Punchestown win to his name from those — a win rate of 1 in 5, which mirrors the horse's overall career average almost exactly. It's a familiar combination, and familiarity often counts for something when you're trying to coax a horse back to its best.

The trainer is C Byrnes, based at Ballingarry in County Limerick — a yard that has sent out 26 winners already this season, which suggests a stable in decent form and capable of getting horses ready to perform. Having a horse last raced just 29 days ago and still active means this one is being kept ticking over, rather than left to gather dust. Someone at the yard clearly thinks there's another win in it.