Truth Be Told
Truth Be Told did really well to win the 10-furlong handicap at Leopardstown last Sunday. Settled at the rear of the field early on by Billy Lee, and still last of the 11 runners as they rounded the home turn with two and a half furlongs to run, he did really well to stay on as well as he did. Fully seven or eight lengths behind the leader as they straightened up for home, he made his ground through traffic, he moved into fifth place as they passed the furlong marker, and he stayed on strongly from there to get up and win by three parts of a length.
There was an awful lot to like about this performance from Michael Grassick's horse. For starters, it was a race in which it was probably an advantage to race handily. The winner's finishing speed was over 106% of overall speed, and the three horses who filled the minor places behind him occupied the first three positions from flagfall. Truth Be Told was the only one of the hold-up horses who was able to get into the race, and he came from last place to first. Winner of a handicap at Thurles over an extended 12 furlongs in October on his final run for Dermot Weld, this was his first run for Michael Grassick, his first run since October, so there is every reason to expect that he will improve for it. He is obviously effective over this 10-furlong trip but, out of the Ribblesdale Stakes winner Princess Highway, who is, herself, out of a Ribblesdale winner in Irresistible Jewel, it may be that he will be seen to even better effect when he steps back up to 12 furlongs. An 8lb hike takes him up to a mark of 88, and that is a mark that may still under-rate his ability. His trainer mentioned the Ragusa Handicap as a possible target now, and that race, on Irish Derby weekend, is a race that could suit him, but he will be of interest wherever he goes now.
Leopardstown, 10th May 2026
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