Zolpharine

Trained by John Patrick Ryan out of Templemore in County Tipperary, Zolpharine is part of a yard that has been in fine fettle this season, sending out 21 winners. That kind of momentum in a stable tends to rub off, and Zolpharine looks like a horse benefiting from everything clicking at once. The first career win came at Kilbeggan back in September 2023, which was a long time coming after a string of near-misses, and it seemed to open something up. The most recent win arrived at Tramore just days ago — this week, in fact — which means this horse is racing in the form of its life right now.

One detail that stands out is the ground. On slightly wet, soft ground, Zolpharine has won 2 of 8 races — a 25% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 4. That's a dramatically better record than on any other surface, and it tells you something important: when conditions suit, this horse is a different animal. Trainers and regular racegoers notice these things, and it's the kind of edge that makes Zolpharine genuinely interesting to follow when the forecast turns damp.

The most curious footnote in the record involves regular jockey Harry Sexton, who has ridden Zolpharine 10 times without a win between them. That's not necessarily a knock on either party — horses and jockeys don't always click — but the fact that the recent victories have come suggests someone else has been in the saddle for the breakthroughs. At 46 races in and still winning, Zolpharine is a reminder that some horses find their rhythm later than others, and right now, this one is very much in the groove.