Withabitofluk

The win that matters came at Bellewstown in April 2024, now over two years ago. Henry De Bromhead, the trainer who oversees this horse from his yard at Knockeen in County Waterford, noted at the time that the ground was fast and dry that day — and that was probably about as quick as Withabitofluk would want underfoot. That's a useful piece of information, suggesting this is a horse who prefers a bit of ease in the ground, something to get his teeth into rather than skimming over a bone-dry surface.

De Bromhead is one of Irish racing's most respected trainers, and his yard has sent out 107 winners already this season — a volume that tells you this isn't a small operation running a handful of horses. When a yard of that size and quality keeps a seven-year-old in training, it's because they believe there's more to come. After the Bellewstown win, De Bromhead said he was working nicely at home and earmarked him for a step up in discipline — moving from a flat-style introductory race into hurdles, where horses jump obstacles and the races generally develop at a different rhythm.

The recent form figures — a string of mid-pack finishes — suggest he hasn't quite found his footing since that win. A 19th-place finish at some point in those last six races is the kind of result that raises an eyebrow, though horses run in different grades and different circumstances, and one bad day doesn't rewrite the whole story. He raced just yesterday, so there's every chance a fresher picture is about to emerge. At seven, he's not young, but he's not finished either — and with a trainer sending out winners at this rate, Withabitofluk at least has the right people in his corner.