Italy

The one win came at Leopardstown in May 2025, and even then O'Brien was careful to lower expectations in the right direction. Italy had never raced before that day, and the trainer noted afterwards that the horse was "very green" — inexperienced, in other words, still figuring out what racing even is. The fact that it won anyway, in a good gallop against a proper field, said something about the raw ability underneath. O'Brien's verdict was simple: "He has a bit of quality."

What followed backed that up. Italy ran second in both the Superlative Stakes and the Acomb Stakes — two well-regarded races for young horses — and then third in the National Stakes, which is a serious test at the highest level. In three races at the top tier of British and Irish racing, it has not yet won, but the placings suggest it belongs in that company rather than just making up the numbers. Finishing second twice in good races is not failure; it is the profile of a horse still finding its ceiling.

The most interesting question now is what happens when Italy steps up in distance. O'Brien has indicated the horse may move from seven furlongs to a mile and a quarter — a longer trip that could suit a big, rangy horse that has been running well without always having the sharpness to win a sprint finish. The trainer's yard has sent out 138 winners this season alone, so O'Brien knows a thing or two about reading what a horse needs. When he describes Italy as something that "could turn into a nice horse," coming from him, that is worth paying attention to.