Special Cadeau

The most recent victory came at Thurles in February 2025, which is now 18 months ago and counting. Since then, Special Cadeau has gone six races without a win — the recent form reading 5-2-3-6-10-7 (working back to the most recent). A second and a third in that stretch are encouraging, suggesting the ability is still there, even if the winning thread has gone quiet. The horse raced just yesterday, which means the team at Henry De Bromhead's yard are keeping this one busy and believing in it.

De Bromhead is one of the most respected names in the game — his Knockeen base in Co Waterford has sent out 110 winners already this season, which is a serious operation by any measure. When a yard of that quality keeps running a horse, it means they see something worth persisting with. Darragh O'Keeffe has been the regular partner, riding Special Cadeau in 7 of those 19 races and winning once together — a 14% win rate, which works out to winning roughly 1 in every 7 rides, actually a touch better than the horse's overall record.

Where Special Cadeau really catches the eye is on normal ground — not muddy, not rock hard, just standard conditions. In those circumstances, the record reads 2 wins from 5 races, a 40% hit rate. That is a genuinely striking number. Winning 2 in every 5 races is the kind of form that would make a horse look very good indeed on its own terms, and it tells you clearly that if the ground comes up right, this horse is a very different proposition. Add in a preference for distances between a mile and six furlongs and two miles — where it has won 1 from 3 — and the conditions that suit it are quite specific. Get them right, and Special Cadeau has shown it can deliver.