Minella Hollow

The real story here is what happened this week. Minella Hollow won at Killarney on 22 August, and raced again just yesterday, suggesting the horse is firing and the trainer, John J Nallen, is confident enough to run it back quickly. That kind of handling—turning a horse over fast after a win—usually means the yard believes it has something sharp and ready to go again. Nallen's operation has sent out five winners already this season, so there's a working knowledge of how to get the best out of a horse when form is good.

The ground makes a real difference to this one. On normal conditions, Minella Hollow wins two out of every three races (67% win rate). That's exceptional and worth noting if you're watching its future races: soft or heavy going tends to suit it less, while fast, dry ground brings out the best. The horse first won at Ballinrobe in May 2024 and has since added victories at Killarney, showing it can win at different tracks rather than being a one-place specialist. Recent runs show a mix of results—a win, then fourth place, third, fourth again, then the win at Killarney—which is the reality of mid-tier racing: horses are competitive most days but only get their heads in front when everything aligns. What matters is that Minella Hollow is still active, still winning this week, and still profitable to follow when the going suits.