Ollie La Ba Ba
Ollie La Ba Ba is a veteran of twenty-one races with a stubborn refusal to win very often. The eight-year-old has found the winner's enclosure just twice in his career—once at Downpatrick in July 2024, then again at Listowel in September 2025—which gives him a win rate of roughly 1 in every 10 races. He's more comfortable picking up places: six times he's run second, third, or fourth without quite getting the job done.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
Eoin Christopher McCarthy's yard at Athea in County Limerick has given Ollie La Ba Ba plenty of opportunities to prove himself. McCarthy's operation has sent out fifteen winners this season, suggesting a trainer who knows how to get horses ready, and yet Ollie remains a difficult ride. His regular partner, jockey G B Noonan, has managed to steer him to just one win from twelve races together—an 8% return—which is even worse than his overall record. The real puzzle is his recent form: he's been a nearly-horse five times in his last six outings, picking up placings but never threatening to win. His sole success in that stretch came a single race back, which broke a long drought—his last victory came eleven months ago, back in September 2025.
Yet he's still racing. That last run came just a day ago, which means McCarthy and Noonan clearly believe he has something left to offer. Whether Ollie La Ba Ba will ever return to the winner's circle again is an open question, but for now he remains active and competing at a level where he can pick up the occasional payday. He's the kind of horse that keeps a yard busy without ever quite delivering the moments that make headlines.
⚡ Strengths and risks
What helps this horse and what to watch out for
✓ What works in their favour
✔ Excellent record on good_to_yielding ground: 1 wins from 4 starts (25%)
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ 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
Good to yielding (mild give)
Loves
Good (a little give)
Likes
Yielding to soft (damp)
Unknown
Yielding (slightly soft)
Unknown
Good to soft (some give)
Unknown
📏 Race distance
Long Distance (2M+)
Likes
🏅 Race level
Class 4 (standard)
Unknown
🏟 Track shape
Left-handed, tight turns
Loves
Right-handed, hilly
Loves
Right-handed, long straights
Unknown
Right-handed, tight turns
Avoids
Right-handed, tight
Avoids
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
20 Aug
9th
Killarney
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 11 runners
8 Jun
6th
Roscommon
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding_To_Soft · 11 runners
27 Dec
6th
Limerick
Long Distance (2m+) · Heavy · 13 runners
23 Oct
6th
Clonmel
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 9 runners
26 Sep
🏆 Won
Listowel
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 19 runners
20 Aug
6th
Sligo
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 11 runners
15 Jul
3rd
Downpatrick
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 7 runners
9 Jun
DNF
Roscommon
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 17 runners
16 May
6th
Kilbeggan
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 17 runners
28 Nov
2nd
Musselburgh
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Soft · 6 runners
🏇 Jockeys
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, most rides first
G B Noonan Current jockey
🏟 Course record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|
| Listowel Sharp |
4 |
1 win, 3 other |
26 Sep |
25% |
| Downpatrick Undulating |
3 |
1 win, 2 thirds |
15 Jul |
33.3% |
| Killarney Sharp |
2 |
2 other |
20 Aug |
0% |
| Roscommon Sharp |
2 |
2 other |
8 Jun |
0% |
| Galway Tight |
2 |
2 other |
1 Aug |
0% |
| Musselburgh Sharp |
1 |
1 second |
28 Nov |
0% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
1 |
1 other |
16 May |
0% |
| Sligo Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
20 Aug |
0% |
| Tramore Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
15 Aug |
0% |
| Cork Galloping |
1 |
1 second |
15 Oct |
0% |
| Clonmel Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
23 Oct |
0% |
| Limerick Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
27 Dec |
0% |
| Bellewstown Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
30 Aug |
0% |