Da Capo Glory

The concern right now is the clock. Da Capo Glory's last win came at Cork in January 2024 — 28 months ago — and the six races since have produced nothing better than a third place. For a nine-year-old, a gap like that starts to ask real questions. Horses don't get younger, and the window for adding to a tally of four career wins is not unlimited. That said, Da Capo Glory raced just one day ago, which means Padraig Butler's yard clearly still believes there is a race to be won somewhere.

Butler trains out of Bandon in County Cork and has sent out four winners already this season, so the operation is in decent form. When Da Capo Glory does run to its best, the most reliable combination has been with Mr D Allen in the saddle — the pair have won 3 of their 11 races together, which is just over 1 in every 4 rides. That is a noticeably better return than the horse's overall record suggests, and it points to a partnership that genuinely works when conditions fall right.

The career began with a first win at Galway back in October 2021, and since then Da Capo Glory has earned its keep without ever threatening the top tier of races. Four wins from 21 career races is a respectable record for a horse operating at this level — it means there have been real days to celebrate, even if they have come along slowly. The challenge now is whether there is one more of those days still to come. The team clearly thinks so, and with Mr D Allen aboard and Butler sending horses out in form, the ingredients are at least in place.