John Storey
John Storey is an eight-year-old horse who has finally broken through to victory this year, winning at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day 2025 after a long wait. The horse has raced 22 times in its career and won just once, placing second or third on two other occasions — a modest record that reflects the tough climb for most racehorses. What makes that January success significant is the time it took to arrive: John Storey had been competing for years without tasting victory before that breakthrough moment at Fairyhouse, making the win feel like genuine reward for persistence.Based on TrackLab's analysis
📊 Key numbers
Career totals for this horse
🔍 Full analysis
Our model's view, based on this horse's career and recent runs
Since that win, however, the horse has not returned to the winner's circle. In the last six races, John Storey has managed one third-place finish and one fourth-place finish, but nothing better. The most recent run was just yesterday, suggesting the horse is still actively racing and its the yard are looking for another chance at success. Jockey Mr P W Gleeson has ridden John Storey five times without a win, though the horse's overall win rate of roughly 1 in every 20 races suggests it operates at a level where victory is rare rather than regular.
The horse is trained by Ian Patrick Donoghue at Clonalvy in County Meath. Donoghue's yard has sent out 29 winners this season, indicating a reasonably active operation, though John Storey's contribution to that tally remains just the one victory. For a horse that has raced 22 times and earned just a single win, opportunities to get back to the winner's enclosure are precious.
⚡ Strengths and risks
What helps this horse and what to watch out for
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on good ground: 0 wins from 6 starts
⚠ Poor record on yielding ground: 0 wins from 5 starts
⚠ Poor record on good_to_yielding ground: 0 wins from 4 starts
⚠ Struggles on RH Sharp tracks: 0 wins from 6 starts
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Yielding to soft (damp)
Unknown
Soft to heavy (wet)
Unknown
Good (a little give)
Avoids
Yielding (slightly soft)
Avoids
Good to yielding (mild give)
Avoids
📏 Race distance
Long Distance (2M+)
Likes
🏟 Track shape
Right-handed, long straights
Loves
Right-handed, tight
Unknown
Left-handed, long straights
Unknown
Right-handed, hilly
Unknown
Right-handed, tight turns
Avoids
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
30 Sep
DNF
Sligo
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 13 runners
7 Sep
DNF
Galway
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding · 23 runners
4 Aug
3rd
Roscommon
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 19 runners
12 Apr
DNF
Down Royal
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 21 runners
29 Mar
DNF
Downpatrick
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding_To_Soft · 11 runners
26 Jan
4th
Punchestown
Long Distance (2m+) · Heavy · 14 runners
11 Dec
DNF
Punchestown
Long Distance (2m+) · Heavy · 16 runners
4 Nov
6th
Fairyhouse
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 13 runners
1 Oct
7th
Sligo
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 11 runners
29 Aug
8th
Wexford
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 17 runners
🏇 Jockeys
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, most rides first
🏟 Course record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
4 |
1 win, 3 other |
4 Nov |
25% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
4 |
4 other |
26 Jan |
0% |
| Sligo Sharp |
2 |
2 other |
30 Sep |
0% |
| Roscommon Sharp |
2 |
1 third, 1 other |
4 Aug |
0% |
| Ballinrobe Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
27 May |
0% |
| Wexford Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
29 Aug |
0% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
1 |
1 other |
4 Sep |
0% |
| Downpatrick Undulating |
1 |
1 other |
29 Mar |
0% |
| Leopardstown Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
3 Mar |
0% |
| Limerick Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
19 Nov |
0% |
| Cork Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
20 Apr |
0% |
| Down Royal Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
12 Apr |
0% |
| Galway Tight |
1 |
1 other |
7 Sep |
0% |
| Tipperary Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
4 Jul |
0% |