The horse is trained by Dermot A McLoughlin at Bodeen in County Meath, part of a yard that has been firing on all cylinders this season with 10 winners to its name. Joya Del Mar is ridden most often by Ricky Doyle, and while their partnership has only yielded one win from five races together (a 20% win rate), that is still double the horse's overall average—a hint that this pairing might be worth watching at Downpatrick in particular. Recent form has been patchy: a twelfth-place finish a day ago was followed, before that, by a fifth, a third, a second, and a sixth. This is a horse capable of finishing in the frame and sometimes running second, but consistency has been elusive.
At eight years old, Joya Del Mar is still active and still racing. The horse lacks the brilliant form that catches headlines, but there is real value in knowing that when it steps out at Downpatrick on the right day, it has a genuine chance. For anyone with a soft spot for quirky, honest racehorses that do their best work on familiar ground, this is one worth following.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downpatrick Undulating |
8 | 2 wins, 2 thirds, 4 other | 9 Aug | 25% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
6 | 1 second, 1 third, 4 other | 5 Oct | 0% |
| Down Royal Galloping |
5 | 1 second, 4 other | 12 Apr | 0% |
| Sligo Sharp |
2 | 2 other | 9 Jun | 0% |
| Wexford Sharp |
2 | 2 other | 6 Aug | 0% |
| Clonmel Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 15 Feb | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 10 Dec | 0% |
| Galway Tight |
1 | 1 other | 8 Sep | 0% |
| Gowran Park Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 8 Mar | 0% |
| Ballinrobe Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 11 Sep | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 5 Jul | 0% |
| Tipperary Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 18 Apr | 0% |