Truth Be Told
The Reverend did well to get as close as he got in the Petingo Handicap, coming from back in the field and from a low draw, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next for sure, but the performance that Truth Be Told put up in finishing sixth was just as worthy of note, and that run seems to have gone at least little under the radar. The Petingo Handicap is a race in which a high draw has historically been an advantage. The last eight winners, and nine of the last 10 winners, before Saturday were drawn 12 or higher and, in 2025, the first five home were all drawn nine or higher. Sure enough, on Saturday, the first two home were drawn 23 and 21, and The Reverend and Truth Be Told were the only two horses who finished in the first seven who were drawn in single figures.
As well as that, the early pace was not strong, as evidenced by the winner’s finishing speed of over 106% of overall speed, and that was not ideal for Truth Be Told, who was settled towards the rear of the field early on, as is his wont. He stayed towards the inside in the home straight and, still only 16th of the 21 runners passing the two-furlong pole, he stayed on well against the inside rail for Billy Lee. It got a little tight for him over there, but he stuck to his task bravely and got up for sixth place, just two lengths behind the winner Immutable. He was fastest of all through the final three furlongs.
This was another positive performance by Michael Grassick’s horse. Winner of a handicap at Thurles in October last year on his final run for Dermot Weld, the Too Darn Hot gelding did well to win a 10-furlong handicap at Leopardstown in May on his first run for his new trainer, when he came from well back in the field off a sedate pace to win nicely. He stepped forward from that next time at Ballinrobe in July, when he stayed on well at the end of a mile and five furlongs to take second place behind the well-handicapped War Rooms. This was his first run since then, so there is every chance that he will improve for it. The handicapper left him on his mark of 90 after Saturday’s run, and that is a mark off which he will be of interest in another good handicap. He holds an entry in the Irish Cesarewitch over two miles and, while he has never been beyond one mile and five furlongs, he stays that trip well, and he could improve for going out in trip. You can easily argue the case on pedigree, given that he is out of the Ribblesdale Stakes winner Princess Highway, a sister to Irish St Leger and Long Distance Cup winner Royal Diamond.
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Leopardstown, 12th September 2026
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