Hopes Are High (IRE)
Hopes Are High is a gelding who has won two of 13 starts, both over 1m5f – 2m on turf. He won the Charleville Cheese 3-Y-O Hurdle at Listowel on soft ground in Sep 2025 and the C.J. Sheeran Ltd 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe on good ground the previous month, each on his first visit to the course. He last ran at Down Royal in Oct 2026, finishing 7 of 12 in the Kildress Plumbing Handicap Hurdle while racing off his career-high mark of 125. He is usually held up.
- 2–13Wins / Runs
- 15.4%Strike rate
- 6 (46.2%)Placed
- +5.50£1 level staken=13 at SP
- 1.36Fair A/E n=13 · 1.11 incl. margin
- 125Highest OR
- 23dBetween runs (median)longest 288 d
A/E compares actual wins with what starting prices implied. "Fair" strips the bookmaker margin from the expectation, so favourites and longshots are judged on the same footing — figures near 1.00 mean the market priced this horse about right.
KTB Speed and Rating
Best recent Speed 110
How fast the horse ran, as points against the day-corrected standard time for its course and distance: 100 is the median GB Class 4 handicap winner on that code; one point is 0.1% of the standard time. A, B or C is how much the day's card could tell us, not how good the run was. What this means →
| Going | Runs | Best | Median | Since 12 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 4 | 115B | 98.5 | 2 runs · 99 / 98.5 |
| Good to Soft | 2 | 110A | 91.5 | 1 run · — |
| Soft | 1 | — | — | — |
| Distance | Runs | Best | Median | Since 12 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1m5f – 2m | 5 | 115B | 107 | 2 runs · 110 / 104.5 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 2 | 98A | 91.5 | 1 run · — |
| Going | Runs | Best | Median | Since 12 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 3 | 90C | 87 | — |
| Soft | 1 | — | — | — |
| Standard (AW) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Distance | Runs | Best | Median | Since 12 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6f – 7f | 3 | 90C | 79 | — |
| 1m – 1m1f | 2 | 87C | 83 | — |
Of 13 runs looked at, 1 has no figure: not enough races on the card to set the day (under 4) (1).
KTB Speed v1 · batch 15 Sep 2026 · GB & Irish racing only · 12 figures from 13 runs · as at 8 Nov 2026 · a record, not a forecast
Both figures are KTB's own, computed from the archive; no vendor rating enters either. Every run's figure is on its form line below with its grade. Grades measure how much the archive could see, never the merit of the run.
Run style from 13 analysed runs since Jan 2025
- Held up 5 (38%) · 0 wins
- Prominent 5 (38%) · 1 win
- Mid-division 3 (23%) · 1 win
Pedigree intelligence
Progeny in our archive have won 6.7% of 526 runs since May 2024 (67 horses).
Weakest on standard (aw) going: 3.6% from 194.
| Going | Runs | Wins | SR | vs sire | This horse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good to Firm | 49 | 2 | 4.1% | −2.6 | — |
| Good | 129 | 12 | 9.3% | +2.6 | 1 from 7 |
| Good to Soft | 47 | 5 | 10.6% | +3.9 | 0 from 2 |
| Soft | 83 | 8 | 9.6% | +2.9 | 1 from 3 |
| Heavy | 24 | 1 | 4.2% | −2.5 | — |
| Standard (AW) | 194 | 7 | 3.6% | −3.1 | 0 from 1 |
| Distance (all codes) | Runs | Wins | SR | vs sire | This horse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 6f | 14 | 1 | 7.1% | +0.4 | — |
| 6f – 7f | 222 | 16 | 7.2% | +0.5 | 0 from 3 |
| 1m – 1m1f | 177 | 8 | 4.5% | −2.2 | 0 from 2 |
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 59 | 4 | 6.8% | +0.1 | 0 from 1 |
| 1m5f – 2m | 41 | 6 | 14.6% | +7.9 | 2 from 5 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 12 | 0 | 0% | −6.7 | 0 from 2 |
| 2m5f – 3m | 1 | 0 | 0% | −6.7 | — |
Flat and jumps together (all codes) · since May 2024 · as at 12 Nov 2026 · rows under 30 runs muted · win % is the measure, a record not a forecast
3 siblings in the archive, 2 winners — best of them Harry Time (IRE) (1 win).
The wins came over 5f–5½f; the highest grade won is Class 5 (Silver Start (GB)).
| Produce | Runs | Wins | Win trips | Best grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Time (IRE) | 5 | 1 | 5½f | — |
| Silver Start (GB) | 12 | 1 | 5f | Class 5 |
| Rothstein (IRE) | 1 | 0 | — | — |
Record by conditions
| Going | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | 7 | 1 | 14% | +8.00 |
| Soft | 3 | 1 | 33% | +0.50 |
| Good to Soft | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| Standard (AW) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Class | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Course | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gowran Park | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| Down Royal (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Listowel (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Kilbeggan (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Galway (IRE) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Punchestown | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Listowel | 1 | 1 | 100% | +2.50 |
| Down Royal | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Ballinrobe | 1 | 1 | 100% | +14.00 |
| Curragh | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Leopardstown | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Dundalk (AW) | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Distance | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1m5f – 2m | 5 | 2 | 40% | +13.50 |
| 6f – 7f | 3 | 0 | 0% | −3.00 |
| 2m1f – 2m4f | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| 1m – 1m1f | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| 1m2f – 1m4f | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Byrnes | 6 | 2 | 33% | +12.50 |
| Shane Foley | 2 | 0 | 0% | −2.00 |
| Patrick M O'Brien | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Mr J C Barry | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| N G McCullagh | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Colin Keane | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Leigh Roche | 1 | 0 | 0% | −1.00 |
| Season | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 0 | 0% | −4.00 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 22% | +9.50 |
| Type | Runs | Wins | SR | £1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurdle | 7 | 2 | 29% | +11.50 |
| Flat | 6 | 0 | 0% | −6.00 |
Splits include every sample, however small — muted rows are under 3 runs. A one-from-one record is a fact, not a trend: read the Runs column before the strike rate.
Form
| Date | Course | Race | Pos | Btn | Wgt | OR | Spd | KTB | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · 4 runs | ||||||||||
| 31 Oct 26+37d | Down Royal (IRE) | Kildress Plumbing Handicap Hurdle Held up at back early - urged before 2 out - plugged on on run-in to finish 7th | 7/12 | 1 | 10-13 | 125 | 98A | 125A | Patrick M O'Brien | 15/2 |
| 24 Sep 26+20d | Listowel (IRE) | Listowel Races Supporters Club Lartigue Hurdle (Handicap) In Memory Of John Molyneaux (Listed) Sat just off the pace early - 4th at halfway - pushed along from 2 out but unable to close before the final fence | 6/13 | ½ | 11-4 | 125 | 99B | 134A | Philip Byrnes | 17/2 |
| 04 Sep 26+37d | Kilbeggan (IRE) | Séan Daly Memorial Handicap Hurdle Settled midfield early - moved into 4th two out - going smoothly and up to 2nd after that - hit the front approaching the last but urged out under sustained challenge - overtaken inside the final furlong - dropped to 3rd finishing without further response | 3/9 | 2¼ | 11-12 | 124 | 110A | 144A | Philip Byrnes | 11/1 |
| 29 Jul 26+288d | Galway (IRE) | Visit Tote26 On Course Today (Q.R.) Maiden Held up towards the back and eager early - improved on the inside approaching 2f out to lie 5th - shaken up but couldn't find more - well held at the finish | 6/18 | 1¼ | 11-12 | 73 | — | 74C | Mr J C Barry | 25/1 |
| 2025 · 9 runs | ||||||||||
| 14 Oct 25+23d | Punchestown | Download The William Hill App Today 3-Y-O Hurdle Held up in the back markers - made steady progress to join front rank two out - moved clear into the straight going smoothly - driven and challenged hard near the final fence - overtaken close home and unable to quicken again - held on for second | 2/8 | 6½ | 11-8 | — | 73A | 136A | Philip Byrnes | 11/4 |
| 21 Sep 25+23d | Listowel | Charleville Cheese 3-Y-O Hurdle Settled midfield early - moved into third after 4 out - improved position turning into straight - hit front just before 2 out despite a stumble there - pushed clear before the last - stayed on strongly to hold rivals to the line | 1/10 | 11-4 | — | 107B | 135A | Philip Byrnes | 5/2 | |
| 29 Aug 25+18d | Down Royal | Golden Cow 3-Y-O Hurdle Settled in rear - minor error at the 2nd - 5th at halfway - moved through to 3rd and then erred at the 4th last - locked together for a circuit marker before losing the lead after 2 out - one-paced and no more to offer from before the last | 3/7 | 5 | 11-4 | — | 85A | 119A | Philip Byrnes | 11/4 |
| 11 Aug 25+45d | Ballinrobe | C.J. Sheeran Ltd 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle Sat behind pace early - slipped back through the pack by the 4th and 8th after the 5th - made progress 2 out - moved through smoothly to hit the front before the last - pushed clear entering the straight - stayed on to the line - margin narrowed in the final strides but held on | 1/13 | 11-0 | — | 115B | 127A | Philip Byrnes | 14/1 | |
| 27 Jun 25+42d | Curragh | JJ Mahon & Sons Handicap Settled in the pack - driven approaching final furlong pair but couldn't land a blow - held to finish 12th | 12/15 | hd | 8-7 | 76 | 90C | 63A | N G McCullagh | 16/1 |
| 16 May 25+9d | Leopardstown | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden Sat handy behind pace - moved into 4th 2f out - pushed along and up to 2nd with a furlong and a half left - dropped to 3rd 1f out - couldn't find more and held for 4th late | 4/17 | shd | 9-8 | 80 | 87C | 84A | Colin Keane | 10/3 |
| 07 May 25+21d | Gowran Park | Societies Welcome At Gowran Park Maiden Sat close to the front group early - still 5th at halfway then pressed for effort with 2f left but couldn't close - stayed on at one gear through the final furlong to finish 4th | 4/15 | 2¼ | 9-8 | — | 79C | 73A | Shane Foley | 12/1 |
| 16 Apr 25+96d | Gowran Park | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden Up with the front group - 3rd at halfway - progress to share the advantage early in the final furlong - faded to finish 3rd with no extra late on | 3/16 | ¾ | 9-8 | — | 78C | 91A | Shane Foley | 7/1 |
| 10 Jan 25 | Dundalk (AW) | Group Deals Available At Dundalk Stadium Maiden Held up towards the back early - still only 6th at halfway - improved into 4th passing the furlong marker - driven out for a one-paced finish to grab 3rd | 3/10 | ½ | 9-8 | — | 79A | 81A | Leigh Roche | 12/1 |
Quick answers
- How many races has Hopes Are High won?
- Hopes Are High (IRE) won 2 of 13 archived starts between 2025 and 2026, a strike rate of 15.4%. Placed 6 times in total (46.2% of starts).
- Who trains Hopes Are High?
- Hopes Are High (IRE) is trained by William Durkan, who saddled the horse on its most recent run on 31 October 2026.
- Who is Hopes Are High's sire?
- Hopes Are High (IRE) is by Shaman (IRE) out of Silver Rainbow (IRE), whose sire is Starspangledbanner (AUS).
- What going does Hopes Are High prefer?
- Hopes Are High (IRE) has the best record on soft going: 1 win from 3 starts (33.3%). Only going bands with at least three archived starts are read, so this is a direction rather than a settled preference.
- What is Hopes Are High's official rating?
- The most recent official rating on record is 125, from the run on 31 October 2026. That is also the highest on record.
- What is Hopes Are High's sire's record?
- Shaman (IRE)'s progeny in our archive have won 6.7% of 526 runs since May 2024 (67 horses), Flat and jumps together. Weakest on standard (aw) going: 3.6% from 194.
- Who are Hopes Are High's siblings?
- Out of Silver Rainbow (IRE), Hopes Are High (IRE) has 3 other produce in our archive, 2 of them winners. Most wins: Harry Time (IRE) (1). Highest grade won: Class 5 (Silver Start (GB)). The wins came over 5f–5½f. As at Nov 2026.