Horse Profile: Persuasion (IRE)
Sex / Age / Colour: 8yo Bay Gelding
Sire: Acclamation (speed influence)
Dam: Effervesce (IRE) by Galileo (IRE) (touch of stamina/depth)
Owner: Mr Laurence O’Kane
Career Record
All Runs: 48 | Wins: 5 | Places: 16 | Win %: 10% | Place %: 36%
Flat Turf: 44 runs | 5 wins | 16 places
AW: 4 runs | 0 wins
Very much a turf specialist — all 5 wins on grass.
Form Profile
Looking at his “best” runs:
19 Apr 2025 – Musselburgh (1m, Handicap, Good–Soft, Class 3)
Won (1/9, OR 87), led late, showed battling qualities, BF IP low 1.01.
Track bias: Sharp, Tight, Stiff finish.
Notable: gutsy, dug deep, didn’t fold under pressure.
6 Sep 2024 – Haydock (1m, Handicap, Good–Soft, Class 3)
Won (1/11, OR 84), led late, strong finish, again went very low IR (1.01).
Notable: thrives when able to sit close up and strike late.
1 Sep 2023 – Thirsk (7f, Handicap, Good–Firm, Class 3)
Won (1/16, OR 91), came through late, well-handled by Curtis.
Notable: big field, strong pace, delivered a sustained run.
24 Apr 2021 – Haydock (1m, Handicap, Soft, Class 2)
Won (1/13, OR 91), stamina kicked in late, beat 95-rated rivals.
Notable: proven on testing ground at Class 2 level.
3 Aug 2019 – Goodwood (7f, Handicap, Good, Class 2)
Won (1/12, OR 90), as a 3yo, came from behind, strong turn of foot.
Notable: shows he had early class; Group-race type profile at 3.
Racing Style
Versatile running style:
Can race prominently (Musselburgh, Haydock wins) or be held up and delivered late (Goodwood, Thirsk).
Most effective when ridden positively without burning too much petrol early.
Strong finisher: Multiple wins involved joining leader inside last 2f and asserting late.
Best trip: 7f–1m.
Most wins have come over 1m (3 wins), but still potent over 7f in strongly-run races.
Ground / Track Preferences
Ground: Wins on good–firm, good–soft, and soft → versatile but arguably best with some cut.
Tracks:
Good records at Haydock (2 wins) and stiff/straight galloping tracks.
Effective on sharp/tight tracks too (Musselburgh win shows adaptability).
Ratings Profile
Median OR (best form wins): 83–91
Max OR beaten: 95
Still competitive in Class 3 handicaps (OR 83–91 range).
Performance Flags
✅ Proven Class 2/3 handicapper
✅ Handles big fields
✅ Goes well fresh (Apr 25 Musselburgh win seasonal return)
✅ Stays a stiff mile, still has pace for 7f
⚠️ Not prolific — places more often than wins (36% place vs 10% win strike rate)
⚠️ At 8yo, probably needs things to fall right (pace collapse, good ride)
Summary
Persuasion is a tough, versatile handicapper who has mixed it in Class 2 and dominated at Class 3 level. His best performances come over 7f–1m, often when delivered late in a well-run race. Handles a variety of ground but a bit of cut is probably ideal. Still capable off marks in the mid-to-high 80s, especially at Haydock or similar galloping tracks.
At 8, he’s unlikely to improve, but he remains a solid, consistent handicapper who can win when conditions align — straight track, 7f–1m, good pace to aim at.

Timeform predict a strong pace in the 4.35 Haydock and with softer ground than last time Persuasion should go close.