Gobi Star

The most interesting thing about Gobi Star is what happens when it goes to Dundalk. Three of its four career wins have come at that track, from 16 races there — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 5 trips. That might not sound dramatic until you consider that its overall career win rate is closer to 1 in 11. Something about Dundalk suits this horse in a way that almost nowhere else does, and trainers and punters alike tend to sit up when a horse shows that kind of consistent affection for a specific venue. Normal ground conditions have also brought out the best in it, with those same 3 wins coming from 16 races on a standard surface — again, nearly 1 in 5 on good ground compared to just 1 win from its remaining 27 races in other conditions.

James M Barcoe's yard in Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, has sent out 7 winners already this season, so the operation is in decent form. When Jack Kearney is in the saddle, the record improves noticeably — 2 wins from 9 races together works out at roughly 1 in every 4 or 5 rides, well above Gobi Star's overall average.

The shadow hanging over the profile, though, is time. The last win came at Dundalk on 29 November 2023 — that's 30 months ago now — and the last 6 races have produced finishes of 16th, 13th, 17th, 14th, 7th, and 10th. That's a horse that has gone quiet. It raced just yesterday, so it's clearly still being kept active, and the yard haven't given up. But at eight years old, with the form figures trending in the wrong direction, Gobi Star would need to rediscover something close to its best — ideally back at Dundalk, on normal ground, with Kearney aboard — to remind everyone what it once looked like on a good day.