Verhoyen

The most recent win came at Fairyhouse in July 2024, nearly two years ago now, and there hasn't been a victory in the last six races — the latest of which came just yesterday, with finishes of 8th, 6th, and 4th in the most recent outings. That 4th place is encouraging enough to suggest Verhoyen hasn't completely lost the thread, but at 11 years old, recapturing a win is a genuine challenge.

Where this horse does its best work is over 7 furlongs to a mile — sprint distances with just enough stamina required. In that range, Verhoyen has won 4 times from 26 races, a win rate of 15%, or roughly 1 in every 6 and a half. That's more than double the career average, which is a meaningful difference and tells you the team know exactly where to aim. Normal ground is also key: 3 of the 4 career wins have come on standard conditions, winning 19% of those races — nearly 1 in 5.

Based at the Curragh in County Kildare with trainer M C Grassick, whose yard has sent out 6 winners already this season, Verhoyen is part of an active and functioning operation. Regular partner W J Lee has ridden the horse 21 times and taken 3 of those 4 career wins together — a win rate of 14%, or roughly 1 in 7 — which is comfortably ahead of the horse's overall average and suggests the partnership genuinely works. The first win together came at The Curragh back in May 2022, on the same track where the stable is based. At this stage of a long career, the ingredients for another win are still there — the right trip, the right ground, the right jockey. Whether it comes together again is the question.