Rusheen

The key to Rusheen is the ground. On wet, muddy going, this horse transforms. It has won 2 of its 6 races in those conditions — that is 1 in every 3 races, more than double its overall rate. For context, a lot of horses merely tolerate the mud; Rusheen appears to actively thrive in it. Trainer Terence O'Brien, based at Carrigtoohill in Co. Cork, will be well aware that when the rain comes, this horse becomes a live contender.

Those two wins came at two of Ireland's best-known tracks. The first arrived at Fairyhouse in January 2024, and Rusheen backed it up with a second victory at Naas just two months ago, in January 2026. Both wins in winter, both almost certainly on wet ground — the pattern is hard to miss. Danny Mullins, who has ridden Rusheen in 8 of its 16 races, was aboard for that Naas win, making it 1 win from 8 rides together — a modest partnership by the numbers, but clearly capable of delivering on the right day.

Recent form tells a mixed story. Looking at the last six runs, Rusheen has finished out of the places in four of them, but there is that one win in the sequence at Naas, which matters more than the blank runs around it. Last raced 27 days ago, the horse is active and presumably being aimed at opportunities where the weather cooperates. O'Brien's yard has sent out 10 winners this season, so it is a team in decent form. If winter hangs around and the ground stays soft, Rusheen is exactly the kind of horse whose next win might not be far away.