Duffys Hodey

The overall career picture is genuinely solid. Five wins and 12 placed efforts from 23 races means this horse has come home in the first three on more than three-quarters of its starts — and with a win rate of around 22%, or roughly 1 in every 4 or 5 races, it sits well above what you'd expect from a typical horse at this level. The first win came at Clonmel in December 2024, relatively late in the career, but since then the horse has found a real groove. Two wins from the last six races is strong recent form by any measure, and the sequence — a win, then second, then a couple of quieter runs, then another win — suggests a horse that bounces back well and keeps its best for the right moments.

The yard behind the horse, trained by P J Rothwell out of Tinahely in County Wicklow, has sent out 36 winners already this season — a busy, productive operation that clearly knows how to place a horse to best advantage. James O'Sullivan rides Duffys Hodey most often, though the partnership hasn't yet produced a win across seven rides together. That's a slightly curious footnote given the horse's overall record, and the wins have come with other riders in the saddle.

What stands out most, though, is the combination of age and current form. Nine is not young in racing terms, but Duffys Hodey is as active and competitive as ever — raced just yesterday, winning at Limerick a week ago. Some horses fade with age; this one seems to be making the most of its experience and settling into the kind of consistent, reliable performer that keeps the yard — and anyone following along — very interested indeed.