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Better Times Ahead

There is something quietly compelling about a nine-year-old horse who keeps showing up and delivering — and Better Times Ahead is exactly that kind of animal. Across 24 races, it has won 4 times and finished in the places on 7 further occasions, giving it a win rate of around 1 in every 6 races (17%). That might not sound spectacular, but it tells the story of a tough, consistent competitor who earns its keep rather than flashing brilliance and disappearing.Based on TrackLab's AI analysis
Quick Facts
Age
9 years old
Sex
Gelding
Colour
Bay
Father
Walk In The Park
Mother
Byerley Babe
Owner
John P McManus
Rating
136

📊 Key Numbers

Career statistics for this horse
24
Career races
4
Wins
16.7%
Win rate
avg ~10%
29.2%
Place rate (top 3)
avg ~30%
1 days
Since last race

🔍 Full Analysis

TrackLab's AI-generated assessment based on career data and recent form
TrackLab's Detailed Breakdown
Auto-Generated

The recent form makes for interesting reading. Two wins in the last six races is a genuinely strong return — that is winning 1 in every 3 — and it suggests this horse is in the form of its life right now. Those back-to-back victories, including a win at Fairyhouse in November 2025, were followed by a second place and then a couple of quieter efforts, which is a pattern worth keeping an eye on. The horse raced just yesterday, so it is very much in the thick of things.

The partnership with jockey Mark Walsh is one of the more telling details in this profile. Walsh has ridden Better Times Ahead in 13 of its 24 races and won 3 of them — a win rate of 23%, or roughly 1 in every 4 rides together. When a jockey keeps coming back to the same horse and keeps winning on it, that usually means something. Walsh clearly knows this horse, and the horse clearly responds to him.

Behind it all is trainer Robert Tyner, operating out of Kinsale in County Cork. Fifteen winners sent out this season is a healthy total for any yard, and it speaks to a stable in good form. Better Times Ahead has been part of that momentum, with its first career win dating back to Naas in March 2022 — so this is a horse that Tyner has developed and kept competitive over several years. At nine years old, with a win as recently as four months ago, it is proof that some horses simply keep giving.

Strengths & Risks

What the data says works for and against this horse
✓ What works in their favour
Excellent record on heavy ground: 1 wins from 4 starts (25%)

🎯 Where This Horse Thrives

Performance broken down by ground, distance, class, and track type
🌧 Ground Conditions
Heavy (very wet)
Loves
Soft to heavy (wet)
Soft (muddy)
Ok
Yielding (slightly soft)
Unknown
Yielding to soft (damp)
Unknown
📏 Race Distance
1M6F – 2M
Unknown
Long Distance (2M+)
Ok
🏟 Track Shape
Left-handed, long straights
Loves
Right-handed, long straights
Right-handed, hilly
Avoids

📅 Recent Runs

The last 10 races, most recent first
6 Apr
DNF
Fairyhouse
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding_To_Soft · 30 runners
8 Mar
7th
Naas
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 17 runners
8 Mar
7th
Naas
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 17 runners
22 Jan
2nd
Gowran Park
Long Distance (2m+) · Heavy · 21 runners
30 Nov
🏆 Won
Fairyhouse
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding_To_Soft · 15 runners
4 Nov
🏆 Won
Fairyhouse
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 13 runners
21 Apr
4th
Fairyhouse
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 13 runners
9 Mar
6th
Naas
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 14 runners
15 Feb
9th
Gowran Park
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 13 runners
4 May
2nd
Punchestown
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 16 runners

🏇 Jockey Partnerships

Every jockey who has ridden this horse, sorted by rides together
23.1%
Win rate
3/13
Won / Rode
Simon Torrens Current Jockey
20%
Win rate
1/5
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode

🏟 Track Record

Win rate at each course this horse has visited
CourseRacesResultsLast visitedWin rate
Fairyhouse
Galloping
8 2 wins, 1 second, 5 other 6 Apr 25%
Naas
Galloping
5 1 win, 4 other 8 Mar 20%
Gowran Park
Undulating
4 1 second, 3 other 22 Jan 0%
Navan
Galloping
3 1 win, 2 other 20 Mar 33.3%
Punchestown
Galloping
3 1 second, 2 other 4 May 0%
Cork
Galloping
1 1 other 5 Dec 0%