P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes (Group 3) – Leopardstown

Leopardstown

16:55

P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes (Group 3)

Date 2026-04-12

Distance 1m2f

Class Class 1

Going Good To Yielding

Type Flat

Surface Turf

Age Band 3yo

Prize €41,230

Weather Mainly Clear

Temp 7.1°C

Wind 15mph W

Rain 1%

Winning Time 2m 12.76s (slow by 7.16s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Christmas Day (IRE) Wayne Lordan · A P O'Brien	11/1	Won
2nd	Endorsement (IRE) Ronan Whelan · A P O'Brien	17/2	.5
3rd	A Boy Named Susie (IRE) Oisin Murphy · Donnacha Aidan O'Brien	11/2	.5
4th	Italy (GB) Chris Hayes · A P O'Brien	13/2	2.25
5th	James J Braddock (GB) J M Sheridan · Joseph Patrick O'Brien	9/1	0.3
6th	South Island (IRE) Gavin Ryan · Donnacha Aidan O'Brien	50/1	0.05
7th	Pierre Bonnard (IRE) Ryan Moore · A P O'Brien	EvensF	2.5
8th	Shosholoza (IRE) Declan McDonogh · Joseph Patrick O'Brien	22/1	0.3
9th	Victory Tip (IRE) W J Lee · Henry De Bromhead	25/1	4.5

Runners (9)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
1 (3)	Pierre Bonnard Bay J:Ryan Moore T:A P O'Brien	J:Ryan Moore T:A P O'Brien	136	—	4111-	113	114	95	168d	—	—	+6	54	0.23/1	10/11 52%
Group 1 winner at Saint-Cloud, rematch with 2l second A Boy Named Susie on 5lb worse terms
3 (2)	A Boy Named Susie Bay J:Oisin Murphy T:Donnacha Aidan O'Brien	J:Oisin Murphy T:Donnacha Aidan O'Brien	131	—	14422-	107	111	103	168d	—	—	+16	28.4	1.75/1	7/1 13%
Needs to reverse form with Pierre Bonnard and Christmas Day to win, solid place chance
4 (6)	Endorsement Bay J:Ronan Whelan T:A P O'Brien	J:Ronan Whelan T:A P O'Brien	131	—	2128-	105	110	97	168d	—	—	+16	26.8	2.00/1	8/1 11%
Good effort behind Pierre Bonnard in the Zetland Stakes, well held on Saint-Cloud running
5 (5)	Italy Bay J:Chris Hayes T:A P O'Brien	J:Chris Hayes T:A P O'Brien	131	h	12238-	112	115	102	183d	—	—	+17	26.3	2.25/1	9/1 10%
Smart form at two in Britain and when third in the National Stakes, needs to settle better
2 (7)	Christmas Day Bay J:Wayne Lordan T:A P O'Brien	J:Wayne Lordan T:A P O'Brien	134	—	3511-	107	106	100	176d	—	—	+25	34.8	2.25/1	9/1 10%
Short head winner from A Boy Named Susie over 1m1f here, extra furlong should suit
6 (4)	James J Braddock Bay J:J M Sheridan T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	J:J M Sheridan T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	131	—	21-	-	107	87	161d	—	—	+8	15.6	2.75/1	11/1 8%
Impressed in winning a 1m Curragh maiden on heavy gorund last November, promising colt
7 (9)	Shosholoza Bay J:Declan McDonogh T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	J:Declan McDonogh T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	131	—	15-	-	109	97	168d	—	—	+4	8.1	6.25/1	25/1 4%
Creditable fifth at Saint-Cloud but held by Pierre Bonnard and A Boy Named Susie
9 (1)	Victory Tip Bay J:W J Lee T:Henry De Bromhead	J:W J Lee T:Henry De Bromhead	131	—	1	-	81	60	28d	—	—	+7	11	8.25/1	33/1 3%
Coped admirably with heavy ground on debut at the Curragh, stiff task at this level
8 (8)	South Island Bay J:Gavin Ryan T:Donnacha Aidan O'Brien	J:Gavin Ryan T:Donnacha Aidan O'Brien	131	—	52618-	93	91	87	176d	—	—	+18	19.8	16.50/1	66/1 1%
Unplaced in races won by Endorsement and Christmas Day, trainer's second string

Horse	bet365	Coral	Virgin Bet
Pierre Bonnard	4/5	8/11	10/11
A Boy Named Susie	13/2	7/1	13/2
Endorsement	8/1	8/1	15/2
Italy	9/1	17/2	17/2
Christmas Day	9/1	9/1	17/2
James J Braddock	11/1	11/1	11/1
Shosholoza	25/1	22/1	22/1
Victory Tip	33/1	28/1	28/1
South Island	66/1	50/1	50/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Pierre Bonnard

OR: 15.8 Form: 22 Odds: 16.3

10/11

2nd

Christmas Day

34.8

OR: 14.3 Form: 17.9 Odds: 2.7

9/1

3rd

A Boy Named Susie

28.4

OR: 14.3 Form: 10.5 Odds: 3.6

7/1

Endorsement

26.8

OR: 13.8 Form: 10 Odds: 3.1

8/1

Italy

26.3

OR: 15.5 Form: 8.1 Odds: 2.7

9/1

South Island

19.8

OR: 10.8 Form: 8.5 Odds: 0.6

66/1

James J Braddock

15.6

OR: 0 Form: 13.5 Odds: 2.1

11/1

Victory Tip

OR: 0 Form: 10 Odds: 1

33/1

Shosholoza

8.1

OR: 0 Form: 7 Odds: 1.1

25/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Pierre Bonnard	113	114	95
Italy	112	115	102
A Boy Named Susie	107	111	103
Christmas Day	107	106	100
Endorsement	105	110	97
South Island	93	91	87
James J Braddock	—	107	87
Shosholoza	—	109	97
Victory Tip	—	81	60

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Victory Tip	28d ago	Fit
James J Braddock	161d ago	Long break
Pierre Bonnard	168d ago	Long break
A Boy Named Susie	168d ago	Long break
Endorsement	168d ago	Long break
Shosholoza	168d ago	Long break
Christmas Day	176d ago	Long break
South Island	176d ago	Long break
Italy	183d ago	Long break