Sly Man's Horses to Watch — Monday 9 November 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.
Trixaboutmaisie
Trixaboutmaisie is running a career-best signal rating of 79 — edging past her previous peak of 76 — and that number sits at the top of the entire card at Punchestown today. Kevin Healy's claim keeps the price honest at 13/2, but the form reading says she's primed, not patched.
- SR 79 — near career best (76)
- SR 79 — top of the card
SR 116 puts Sheldon clear at the top of this card, and with four independent signals locked in plus a 1-2-3 run of placings, the form is doing the talking right now. Benjamin Macey claims 5lb off the weight and Seamus Mullins doesn't run horses like this for fun.
- SR 116 — top of the card
- 4 independent signals aligned
- Placed in last 3 starts (form: 123)
Harry Brown's 33% strike rate over the last 30 days is the number that caught my eye — a 7lb claimer firing at that rate doesn't stay cheap for long. Bo Cruz sits top of the card on SR 101, and with McCain sending him out at 11/2, this looks deliberate.
- Harry Brown(7) — 33% strike rate last 30d (2/6)
- SR 101 — top of the card
Circuit Breaker tops the card with an SR of 91, and when Jonjo Jr. is hitting 18% over the last 30 days you don't need much more reason to be interested. Father and son firing together at 16% from the yard — this combination doesn't go to Carlisle for a day out.
- SR 91 — top of the card
- Jonjo O'Neill Jr. — 18% strike rate last 30d (8/44)
- Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill — 16% strike rate last 30d (12/73)
Sea Eagle sits top of the card on SR 108 and the market has already noticed — strict-majority steamer with nothing drifting against it. At 13/2, the money and the numbers are pointing the same direction, and that alignment is exactly what gets a horse on the watchlist.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 108 — top of the card