That single victory came at Bellewstown in July 2024, over two miles or more — the sort of longer distance where Bridgehead has always looked most at home. In fact, over those longer trips it has won 1 from 5 races, or 20% — one in every five, which is a genuinely different horse to the one that plods around at shorter distances. That win-at-long-distance figure tells you where the opportunity lies, and any time Bridgehead lines up over a serious trip, it deserves a second look.
Noel Meade's yard in Co Meath has been in good form, sending out 42 winners this season, so the operation around Bridgehead is clearly not short of quality or confidence. Yet the most intriguing number in this profile might be the one attached to Colin Keane, who has ridden Bridgehead eight times without a win between them — 0 from 8. Keane is a top jockey, so that's not the explanation. Sometimes a partnership just doesn't click, and eight races is a long enough run to notice.
Recent form shows an 18th, 7th, 6th, 1st, 3rd, and 4th reading from most recent backwards — so that middle stretch, the win and the place either side of it, looks like a genuine purple patch. The horse raced just yesterday, which means it is fit, active, and presumably being placed with purpose. Whether another win is coming at seven years old remains to be seen, but Bridgehead is not a horse that has given up, and neither has Noel Meade's yard.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopardstown Galloping |
4 | 1 third, 3 other | 18 Jul | 0% |
| Bellewstown Sharp |
3 | 1 win, 2 other | 11 Apr | 33.3% |
| Ballinrobe Sharp |
3 | 1 second, 1 third, 1 other | 24 Jun | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 1 May | 0% |
| Naas Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 15 May | 0% |
| Navan Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 25 Aug | 0% |
| Kilbeggan Tight |
1 | 1 third | 20 Apr | 0% |
| Tipperary Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 4 Oct | 0% |