Backmersackme

The win that changed everything came at Leopardstown in February 2026, just two months ago, on the biggest stage Irish racing has outside of the festivals. Trainer Emmet Mullins had quietly believed a performance like that was coming. He pointed afterwards to a race at Navan the previous year where Backmersackme finished second in a strong field, with both the winner and third-place finisher going on to prove themselves over fences — Backmersackme was the only one of that group who hadn't yet crossed to fences and confirmed the form. In other words, the talent was there all along; it just needed the right conditions to show itself.

Those conditions, it turns out, involve wet ground. On soft or muddy ground, Backmersackme has won 2 of his 7 races — a 29% win rate that compares strikingly with his overall career record. That is not a coincidence. Mullins acknowledged after Leopardstown that the slower ground helped, though he believes the horse is more versatile than people might think. A tongue-tie was also fitted that day, a small but sometimes significant piece of equipment that helps a horse breathe more freely during a race.

The yard is now pointing towards the Cheltenham Festival — specifically the National Hunt Chase, one of the most prestigious amateur-riders' races of the season and a genuine Class 1 occasion. It is a significant leap in class. Backmersackme has raced four times at that top-two level and is yet to win, though everything Mullins has said since February suggests the Leopardstown run has convinced him this horse belongs there. With 31 winners already sent out this season, Bagenalstown is a yard in form, and they don't take horses to Cheltenham without believing they have a chance.

One minor curiosity worth noting: regular jockey Donagh Meyler has ridden Backmersackme nine times without a win. Both wins in the career record came with someone else aboard. Whether that changes at Cheltenham remains to be seen.