Itsalonglongroad

The real story here is distance. Itsalonglongroad was built for races between a mile and six furlongs and two miles — that sweet spot where stamina matters and the pace is measured. Over that range, the record jumps to 4 wins from 26 races, or better than 1 win in every 6 and a half races. That is nearly double its overall win rate, and it tells you exactly where to watch for this horse. Anywhere shorter and the speed-focused races are likely beyond it; anywhere longer and the engine struggles. It took until October 2022 for the first win to arrive — at Thurles — but once the horse understood what it was good at, it found the winner's circle regularly enough.

Shane O'Callaghan has been its regular partner, steering it to 3 wins from 22 rides together, a respectable 14% win rate when they team up. The most recent victory came at Tramore on 17 August 2025, now 13 months in the past. Since then, no wins but plenty of place finishes, which means the engine is not broken, just getting harder to fire in front. For a 12-year-old, still active and still showing up, Itsalonglongroad represents the honest end of racing — no glamour, no headlines, just a horse that understands its trade and keeps turning up for more.