Star Of State

That first win came at Leopardstown on 16 July 2026 — just yesterday — which tells you everything about how fresh this story is. Leopardstown is one of Ireland's most prestigious tracks, a genuinely competitive venue where winning means something. To do it first time out, or close to it, at two years old marks Star Of State as a horse worth paying attention to.

Behind this horse is one of the most formidable operations in Irish racing. Joseph Patrick O'Brien trains out of Owning Hill in Co Kilkenny, and this season his yard has already sent out 160 winners. To put that in perspective, many trainers consider 20 or 30 winners a successful year — 160 is the output of a yard operating at the very top of the sport. When a place like that decides a horse is worth running, it tends to mean they believe in what they have.

With just two races to go on, the sample is small, but a record of one win and one place from two outings — winning half its races before most horses have even found their stride — is the kind of early form that gets people excited. The next run will tell us a great deal more, but for now, Star Of State is a name worth remembering.