Sly Man's Horses to Watch — Friday 9 October 2026
Nothing shorter than 5/1 makes my book. I'm looking beyond the obvious — but they still have to earn their place.
Five worth watching today. Read the rating, read the angle, then make up your own mind. I'm the wiry one in the silks reading form on a tablet while the favourites warm up — here's what's caught my eye.
Harper Violet
Harper Violet is the top SR on the card at 90 and the money is coming in hard — a clean steamer with no drifters, which at 11/2 is exactly the kind of move worth tracking. Burke has fired in 17 winners from 104 runs in the last 30 days and he doesn't saddle horses at York without meaning business.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 90 — top of the card
- K. R. Burke — 16% strike rate last 30d (17/104)
Money is moving on Sekamarma before the off at Downpatrick, and with a strict-majority steam and no drifters in sight, that is not noise. Top SR on the card at 87 and Meyler landing one in seven over the last month — this one earned its place on the watchlist.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 87 — top of the card
- Donagh Meyler — 14% strike rate last 30d (5/37)
Roger Teal is firing at 24% over the last month and Threelittleangels carries his runners' form to the top of this card with an SR of 152. Leavy gets the leg-up for a stable that is very much in the business of winning right now.
- Roger Teal — 24% strike rate last 30d (7/29)
- SR 152 — top of the card
Money is moving on Send Harry at 18:30 Dundalk — strict-majority steamer at 5/1 with no drifters in the market, and that kind of one-way traffic at this track is worth noting. One win here already tells you the surface suits, and the money arriving now suggests connections think tonight is the night to strike again.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- 1 prior win at Dundalk (AW)
Three course wins at Dundalk tells you this track suits Ohailbhic down to the ground, and an SR of 82 putting him top of the card at 17/2 is the kind of gap between price and quality that catches my eye. McGettigan's claim softens the cost of backing him — this one goes straight on the watchlist.
- 3 prior wins at Dundalk (AW)
- SR 82 — top of the card