Uncle Pat

The horse runs in the colours of W P Mullins's powerful Muine Bheag yard in County Carlow, one of the most successful operations in Irish racing. Mullins has sent out 215 winners this season alone, so Uncle Pat is part of a well-oiled machine. His best partnership is with jockey Paul Townend, who has piloted him to victory twice from seven rides together—a win rate of 29%, notably higher than the horse's overall record. That suggests Townend knows how to get the best out of him, and their chemistry is worth watching.

Uncle Pat's most recent win came at Punchestown on 2 May, four months ago. Since then his form has been patchy: he ran second just over a week ago, before that posted another couple of second-place finishes and a seventh. It is the kind of mixed run many horses go through at his age and experience level, and with a race just yesterday he is clearly still being given opportunities. For a horse earning his keep at this level, staying active and occasionally striking gold at Irish tracks like Punchestown and Downpatrick—where he recorded his first win in August 2023—Uncle Pat has found his place.