Performance Review

January 2021

It may be a quieter time of year for us in terms of runners on the track, but there's plenty happening right now at Rathbride Stables as the coming season's two-year-olds begin to learn their trade.

It's obviously very early in the year but hopefully it looks as though we'll have a nice team of juveniles for the year ahead - it's always an exciting time to see the next group of horses coming through.

We were delighted to get a winner on the board to start the year with Always Waitin, who seemed to enjoy the surface at Dundalk when winning a mile median auction maiden under Billy Lee.

Always Waitin enjoying the surface at Dundalk

He's the sort of horse who could well strengthen up with more time and we're looking forward to getting him on the grass this summer over a mile or nine furlongs, he doesn't really bend his knee. Hopefully he's one to look forward to for Barbara Facchino and Barouche Stud.

Mo Celita ran well to finish fourth in a Dundalk maiden on just her second start over seven furlongs. The runner-up has since won a maiden too so hopefully our filly can progress from the run.

It was also good to see Oh So Woke come home well for fifth on the all-weather during the month too. I'd love to get her head in front for breeder David Ledwith as the filly has got a lovely pedigree, being a half-sister to high-class Australian horse Tom Melbourne, and her dam is also a half-sister to Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente.

It won't be long until the start of the Flat season arrives at the Curragh in March - here's hoping we'll have plenty to look forward to when it does.