Limestone

That first win came at Listowel in September 2025, on wet and muddy ground that would test the heart of any young horse. Limestone handled it without fuss, which told Joseph Patrick O'Brien something useful: this is a horse with stamina in its DNA. But what has really caught the attention is what happened before that debut win — a solid run on faster, drier ground at Tipperary suggested the horse isn't dependent on soft conditions to perform. Versatility like that opens doors. A horse that can only win in the mud is limited; a horse that can handle whatever the weather throws at it is a different prospect entirely.

O'Brien, who operates one of Ireland's most productive yards — 160 winners already this season — has spoken of Limestone as having the makings of a genuine stayer, the kind of horse built to get a long distance rather than sprint. That's a long-term compliment. Stayers need time to mature, and everything about Limestone's profile suggests O'Brien is thinking in those terms, building the horse steadily through a sequence of races rather than rushing it to a big occasion too soon.

The most recent win came at Navan just this week on 16 May 2026, keeping the streak alive and the momentum building. With Cork pencilled in as the likely next stop, Limestone heads there as one of the form horses in its division — three wins from five races, unbeaten in three straight, and trained by a man who clearly believes there is plenty more to come. For a horse still only three years old, that is a very tidy position to be in.