Pass The Buck

What keeps this profile interesting is who is doing the training. Joseph Patrick O'Brien, based at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, is one of the most prolific yards in Ireland — 160 winners this season alone is a remarkable operation by any measure. A yard producing that kind of output has serious horses and serious ambitions, which means Pass The Buck is at least learning its trade in very good company. Horses from big, busy yards like this often take time to find their feet, and the fact that the team keeps running it suggests they still believe there is something to work with.

Having raced just one day ago, Pass The Buck is clearly an active project right now. The question is whether the next run brings improvement or whether this is simply a horse that needs more time to develop. At three years old, there is no great urgency — plenty of horses take the best part of a season to click into gear. For now, Pass The Buck remains a horse with a point to prove.