Tassarolo

The horse broke through for his first win at Clonmel in early June 2025, but his most recent victory came at Thurles in mid-October — nearly a year ago. That is a long drought, and while not unusual for a horse at his level, it hints that Tassarolo may be drifting backwards or that the races have simply become too tough. He sits in the stable of Denis Gerard Hogan, a Tipperary trainer whose yard has already sent out 54 winners this season, so there is genuine expertise there, even if this particular horse has not obliged lately.

The clearest pattern in Tassarolo's record is his love of slightly soft, muddy ground. On those surfaces, he has won two of his four races — a 50% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall 12%. When the ground is firm and fast, he struggles. He also runs best at the longer middle distances, around one mile three furlongs to one mile four furlongs, where he has won one from four races. J M Sheridan, his most regular partner, has ridden him five times and won once, which is better than his overall record but still suggests the jockey and horse are still searching for chemistry. For now, Tassarolo remains a horse to watch on wet days, at courses that suit his distance, but one who will need to rediscover the winning formula soon if he is to reverse the recent trend.