What makes the situation interesting is the machine it belongs to. O'Brien, operating out of Owning Hill in Co Kilkenny, has sent out 160 winners already this season — a number that puts his yard firmly among the most productive in Ireland. When a trainer is winning at that volume, horses tend to be placed in races where they have a genuine chance, which suggests Rodeo Blues simply hasn't found the right moment yet rather than being hopelessly out of its depth.
The recent form does raise a question mark. A ninth-place finish sandwiched between two runs where finishing position wasn't recorded gives only a partial picture, and that ninth is the kind of result that tells you the horse had an off day rather than a good one. Still, only three races is a very small sample — plenty of horses take time to figure things out at this age, and being placed twice suggests there is ability in there somewhere.
Rodeo Blues raced just yesterday, so this is a horse very much in the middle of its season. Whether O'Brien's team find the right opportunity to get it winning is the question worth watching.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopardstown Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 12 Apr | 0% |
| Gowran Park Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 5 May | 0% |
| Naas Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 9 May | 0% |