The Blaggard

That single win came at Tramore in October 2024, which now sits 19 months in the past. Since then, the form figures tell a familiar story — a sixth, two unfinished runs, a tenth, and a ninth. Recent races have been tough, and there is no point pretending otherwise. A win rate of roughly 1 in every 9 races is modest, and the last few outings suggest he has been finding things difficult at whatever level he is currently competing. But he raced just yesterday, which means McCarthy and the team have not given up on him, and that matters.

His most regular partner in the saddle is G B Noonan, who has ridden him in 6 of his 9 races and was aboard for the Tramore win. Between them they have won 1 from 6 together — not a sparkling ratio, but there is clearly a settled relationship there, and familiarity between horse and jockey is never nothing. McCarthy's yard has sent out 15 winners this season, so this is an active, functioning operation — The Blaggard is part of a team that knows how to win races, even if this particular horse has only managed it once so far.

What keeps things interesting is that the Tramore win happened at all. It tells you the ability is somewhere in there. Whether the team can find the right conditions to unlock it again is the question worth watching.