Jalon d'Oudairies

Trained by Gordon Elliott at his operation in Longwood, Co Meath, Jalon d'Oudairies is part of one of the most powerful yards in Irish racing right now — a stable that has sent out 210 winners this season alone. Elliott clearly thinks highly of this horse. After Jalon d'Oudairies won at Naas in February, Elliott was quick to say he liked the way the horse finished from the last fence to the line, even acknowledging the race wasn't the strongest. That kind of candid praise — "I liked the way he went" — from a trainer who sees winners every week is meaningful. Elliott went even further after a run at Leopardstown, calling him "a proper horse" outright.

The Cheltenham Festival has been mentioned in the same breath as his name, which is about as significant a vote of confidence as a horse can get. Elliott said he'd discuss the option with owners Michael and Eddie O'Leary — the Gigginstown operation, who know a thing or two about big-race targets — while also noting that Fairyhouse and Irish prize-money remain live options. Jockey Jack Kennedy, who rode him at Naas, reported that the horse gave him a good feel. When a top jockey says that after a straightforward win, it often means the horse was doing it well within himself.

His first win came at Fairyhouse in December 2023, and his most recent was at Naas three months ago. Recent form reads 6-13-1-2-2-3 — a mixed run that includes a couple of lesser efforts, but also back-to-back runner-up finishes before that winning return. He raced just yesterday, so he's clearly being kept busy. For a horse whose trainer is openly floating Cheltenham as a possibility, the story here is still being written — and the people closest to him seem to think the best chapters are ahead.