Pride Of Place

Across 24 races, Pride Of Place has won 3 and finished in the places 9 times — a win rate of around 12%, or roughly 1 in every 8 races. That's a modest headline number, but context matters. Strip it back to the conditions it actually enjoys, and a more interesting picture emerges. On slightly soft ground — not heavy and muddy, just a little give underfoot — it has won 2 from 7 races, which works out at 29%, or nearly 1 in every 3. That's a completely different horse. If the ground is right, Pride Of Place becomes a genuine contender rather than a hopeful participant.

The partnership with jockey Charlie O'Dwyer is worth noting. Together they've raced 9 times and won twice — a win rate of 22%, or close to 1 in every 4 rides. That's meaningfully better than the horse's overall record, suggesting O'Dwyer understands how to get the best from it. The trainer, E Bolger, operates out of Bruree in County Limerick and has had 14 winners already this season — a yard clearly in decent form and sending horses out ready to run.

Recent form shows a mixed picture: the last six runs read 3-–-1-–-8-9, meaning a third, a win, and a couple of disappointing finishes in amongst it. The dashes suggest the horse has had breaks rather than running continuously, which can sometimes reflect a trainer picking their spots carefully. The Killarney win two months ago is the most recent success, and with a run just yesterday, the yard are clearly keeping this horse active through the summer. Watch for soft ground, watch for O'Dwyer in the saddle — that's when Pride Of Place tends to show its best.