Denis Gerard Hogan

The partnership with jockey J M Sheridan is central to how Hogan operates. Across 151 rides together, they have combined for 25 wins — that is roughly 1 in every 6, a win rate of 17%. When a trainer keeps putting the same jockey up, it usually means there is a real working understanding there, a shared language about how a horse needs to be ridden. Twenty-five winners from 151 rides is the kind of record that says this partnership is no accident either.

Hogan also has a sharp eye for conditions. On wet or muddy ground — the sort of day that puts some trainers off running at all — his horses win at a 19% clip, 7 from 37 races. That is nearly 1 in every 5, and it points to a yard that knows how to prepare horses for tough conditions rather than waiting for a dry day.

Bellewstown is a small, tight track in County Meath that rewards local knowledge and horses who handle its unique layout. Hogan has sent out 3 winners from just 12 runners there, a 25% win rate that makes it one of the most productive tracks in his operation. For a yard four years young, having a course where you clearly know how to win is a real advantage.

His partnership with The Liffey — 1 win from 5 races together — is modest by the numbers, but the fact it is highlighted as a standout suggests there may be more to come from that pairing. The bigger story here, though, is the trajectory. From 4% to 10% in a year, with a reliable jockey partner, a fondness for wet days, and a track he treats like a home ground, Denis Gerard Hogan looks like a trainer who is genuinely on the rise.