Performance Review
June 2026
Everybody knows Royal Ascot is one of the highlights of the year around the world and we were delighted to go close to having a winner there this month with the very talented Jancis.
It’s already been a good year for this mare on her travels, having won the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes on Guineas weekend at Newmarket, and she did us proud again when runner-up in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes under Sean Levey. She’s developing a lovely profile for her owner-breeder Arturo Cousino.
It looked a hot race, won by Blue Bolt, and there’s every chance it will work out to be a good piece of form going forward. The Group 1 Falmouth Stakes will be our next port of call.
Closer to home, it was good to see Happy Henry get his head in front for the first time at Navan. He’s a homebred and it had been a long time coming for him. Leigh Roche gave him a good ride and I think we got our tactics right with how to get the best out of him.
He also finished third in a Naas handicap later in the month where our other two runners finished right up with him in fourth (Steel Magnolia) and fifth (Snowballs). Happy Henry hasn’t finished out of the money all year, so he’s been creeping up the handicap throughout, but I think he could click again before long. He’s still learning his trade.
Happy Henry gets his head in front at Navan
I thought there were positives to take from what Rebel Wave showed when a close second at Limerick over seven furlongs too. She’ll turn out again in a similar type of maiden at the Curragh next month and fingers crossed she won’t be far away. Guy’s Girl isn’t the biggest in the world but got closer to the target when third in a handicap at Ballinrobe. We’ll be doing our best to get a winning bracket for her in the colours of Steve Fisher.
Great Mover doesn’t mind an ease in the ground and had a couple of good runs when second and third at Leopardstown this month. Hopefully a race can come her way over the remainder of the season. An ease in the ground in the autumn won’t be any harm to her.
Finally, Navy Waters is one who deserves a change of luck. She showed potential over hurdles when third in a Punchestown maiden hurdle, before getting no rub of the green in a premier handicap at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend. I’m hoping she can win a nice pot on the flat before the year is out.
It feels like our horses are progressing as the season goes on, which is always nice to see, and fingers crossed we can build into next month with some more winners.