Leinster

The relationship between Leinster and jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle is one of the most striking details in the horse's record. In 5 races together, they have won 3 — that is 60%, or 3 from every 5 times they have lined up as a partnership. That kind of rapport between horse and rider is rare and valuable. McMonagle's own words after their most recent win at The Curragh hint at just how well he knows this horse: he described having to hold Leinster back through most of the race, keeping him relaxed because the horse had been doing too much in previous runs. The fact that, despite a slow pace and a trip that was arguably too short, Leinster still won speaks to genuine ability.

The Curragh is clearly where Leinster is at his best — 2 wins from 4 races there, including that August 2025 success. Two from four at any track is worth noting, but at a venue as competitive as The Curragh, Ireland's premier flat course, it is legitimately impressive. O'Brien has spoken openly about Leinster being well suited by the track, and the team is eyeing a Listed race there on Guineas weekend — one of the biggest meetings of the Irish flat season. A Listed race sits just below the very top level of competition, so that is a meaningful statement of ambition.

O'Brien's yard has been in outstanding form, sending out 160 winners this season alone — a number that puts them among the elite operations in Irish racing. When a trainer of that standing talks about a horse being "progressive" and says he expects stamina to be no issue stepping up in distance, it is worth listening. Leinster handles wet or muddy ground well, according to O'Brien, and with a Chester Cup entry also on the table for the spring, there are multiple routes forward for a horse that raced just yesterday and is very much in the thick of things.