Maxxum

Elliott's yard at Longwood, Co Meath has sent out 210 winners this season alone — one of the most productive operations in Irish racing — and Maxxum is one of its more interesting characters. He has picked up a couple of Grade 2 races, which are among the better contests in the calendar, and Elliott has been candid about the challenge that creates: a horse who keeps winning nice races ends up with a high rating, which means he gets placed in tougher company and becomes harder to place competitively. It's a good problem to have, but it's still a problem.

His relationship with Clonmel is one of the more striking threads in his record. Two wins from three races there makes him a genuine course specialist — that's a rate that would turn any punter's head — and his most recent victory came there just six weeks ago, so he arrives at this point of the season in form and clearly thriving. His first career win also came at Clonmel, back in March 2022, so there's a neat symmetry to how he keeps returning to that track and delivering.

Elliott has spoken warmly about jockey Danny Gilligan's understanding of the horse, describing one Fairyhouse win as "poetry in motion" apart from a single jumping error. The trainer has also noted that Maxxum seems to prefer smaller fields — his Cheltenham run was written off after a slow start — which gives a useful steer on when to pay attention. Current jockey Jordan Canavan has partnered him in 6 races for 1 win, a rate of roughly 1 in 6, suggesting the Gilligan combination may be the one to watch when it matters most.

Active as of yesterday, and with soft ground in his locker, Maxxum is exactly the kind of horse worth keeping an eye on as the Irish season rolls into autumn.