Way Down South
Way Down South is a horse that looks far better on soft ground than it does anywhere else. The seven-year-old has raced 22 times and won just twice, putting it in the lower echelons of the sport — but both those wins came when the going was genuinely wet and muddy. It won at Limerick just before Christmas 2024, then again at Cork three days later, both on soft ground. Since then, nothing: eight months without a win, despite six recent runs. The thing is, when the ground dries out, Way Down South simply cannot get competitive. It has won 2 of its 4 races on soft ground (a 50% win rate), but only won zero times in 18 races on anything faster or firmer. That's a huge gulf, and it tells you almost everything you need to know about this horse's preferences.Based on TrackLab's AI analysis
📊 Key Numbers
Career statistics for this horse
18.2%
Place rate (top 3)
avg ~30%
🔍 Full Analysis
TrackLab's AI-generated assessment based on career data and recent form
Daniel King, the jockey who has ridden it most often, knows the animal well — he has piloted Way Down South to both its career wins, giving him a 18% win rate in the saddle, compared to the horse's overall 9% from 22 races. That partnership works. The trainer, Gillian Scott, runs a small yard at Ballingarry in Limerick and has had three winners out this season, so Way Down South is not her only runner, but it is clearly the one with a particular edge when conditions suit. The horse's recent form reads 5-5-3-5-6-7 from its last six outings — mostly mid-field finishes, nothing disastrous but nothing close to winning either. It raced just yesterday, so it is still very much in work and active. If you want to see Way Down South win again, you would want to see a wet Irish winter and the right race on soft ground. On anything else, it looks like a horse with a ceiling.
⚡ Strengths & Risks
What the data says works for and against this horse
✓ What works in their favour
✔ Excellent record on yielding_to_soft ground: 2 wins from 4 starts (50%)
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on soft ground: 0 wins from 5 starts
⚠ Poor record on yielding ground: 0 wins from 5 starts
⚠ Poor record on good ground: 0 wins from 4 starts
⚠ Poor record on good_to_yielding ground: 0 wins from 3 starts
🎯 Where This Horse Thrives
Performance broken down by ground, distance, class, and track type
🌧 Ground Conditions
Yielding to soft (damp)
Loves
Soft to heavy (wet)
Unknown
Yielding (slightly soft)
Avoids
Good to yielding (mild give)
Avoids
📏 Race Distance
Long Distance (2M+)
Likes
🏟 Track Shape
Right-handed, long straights
Loves
Right-handed, hilly
Unknown
Left-handed, long straights
Unknown
Left-handed, tight turns
Avoids
Right-handed, tight turns
Avoids
Right-handed, tight
Avoids
📅 Recent Runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
15 Aug
5th
Tramore
Long Distance (2m+) · Good_To_Yielding · 9 runners
31 Jul
6th
Galway
1m6f – 2m · Yielding_To_Soft · 6 runners
20 Jul
7th
Ballinrobe
1m6f – 2m · Good_To_Yielding · 9 runners
7 Jul
5th
Tramore
1m6f – 2m · Good · 10 runners
30 May
5th
Listowel
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding · 11 runners
10 May
3rd
Cork
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 18 runners
16 Apr
2nd
Limerick
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 8 runners
31 Mar
DNF
Limerick
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft · 12 runners
3 Jan
🏆 Won
Cork
Long Distance (2m+) · Yielding_To_Soft · 12 runners
29 Dec
7th
Limerick
Long Distance (2m+) · Soft_To_Heavy · 12 runners
🏇 Jockey Partnerships
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, sorted by rides together
🏟 Track Record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|
| Limerick Galloping |
4 |
1 win, 1 second, 2 other |
16 Apr |
25% |
| Cork Galloping |
3 |
1 win, 1 third, 1 other |
10 May |
33.3% |
| Killarney Sharp |
3 |
3 other |
5 Oct |
0% |
| Galway Tight |
3 |
3 other |
31 Jul |
0% |
| Thurles Undulating |
2 |
2 other |
27 Nov |
0% |
| Tramore Sharp |
2 |
2 other |
15 Aug |
0% |
| Listowel Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
30 May |
0% |
| Ballinrobe Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
20 Jul |
0% |
| Tipperary Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
3 Jul |
0% |
| Roscommon Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
30 Sep |
0% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
22 Feb |
0% |