What is genuinely interesting here is the placing record — 10 times in the frame across 26 races suggests a horse that competes honestly and finds its level without embarrassing itself. It's not a winner, but it's not a no-hoper either. There's a difference between a horse that finishes last every week and one that keeps knocking on the door, and Plain Or Battered is firmly in the second camp.
The trainer is P J Rothwell, operating out of Tinahely in County Wicklow, and the yard has been in decent form this season — 35 winners sent out is a healthy total and suggests a yard that knows what it's doing. Regular jockey Shane O'Callaghan has been aboard five times without getting that breakthrough win together, though Plain Or Battered's problem clearly isn't specific to any one rider. The horse raced just yesterday, so the yard — the team — are clearly keeping it active and in good shape at an age when plenty of horses have long since been retired.
At nine, with one career win to its name, Plain Or Battered is the kind of horse that fills out a field and occasionally surprises — but probably won't be troubling the big occasions any time soon. Wexford remains the one place it has tasted victory, and if there's a target worth watching for, it's a return to somewhere familiar.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wexford Sharp |
4 | 1 win, 1 third, 2 other | 16 May | 25% |
| Limerick Galloping |
4 | 4 other | 28 Dec | 0% |
| Clonmel Sharp |
3 | 1 second, 2 other | 26 Mar | 0% |
| Navan Galloping |
3 | 2 thirds, 1 other | 17 Jan | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 20 Apr | 0% |
| Thurles Undulating |
2 | 2 other | 19 Feb | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 13 Nov | 0% |
| Leopardstown Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 3 Mar | 0% |
| Down Royal Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 14 Apr | 0% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 8 Nov | 0% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
1 | 1 second | 24 Apr | 0% |