Sly Man's Horses to Watch — Sunday 25 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.
Springboard
Springboard heads the card on SR 101 and the market is already talking — strict-majority money coming in, no drifters, which is the kind of clean signal that doesn't happen by accident. Mark Walsh at 17% over the last month is doing the steering, and at 5/1 this is the one worth marking.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 101 — top of the card
- Mark Walsh — 17% strike rate last 30d (3/18)
Four independent signals locked on the same horse is rare enough to stop the scrolling — and the market's already found it, steaming without a single drifter to muddy the picture. Space Warrior sits top of the card on SR 91 at 9/1, and that price looks borrowed time.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 91 — top of the card
- 4 independent signals aligned
Four independent signals landing on the same horse at 5/1 is the kind of confluence that gets my ears up, and the market is already moving — strict-majority steamer with no drifters pushing back. SR 98 puts Kir at the top of the card, and Darragh O'Keeffe aboard for de Bromhead is not a combination anyone should be ignoring at Wexford today.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 98 — top of the card
- 4 independent signals aligned
Molto Bene tops the card with an SR of 119 and four independent signals stacked behind it — that kind of confluence at 9/1 is exactly what this column exists to find. Comes back after 194 days off with a placed effort last time out, so the freshness is no concern.
- SR 119 — top of the card
- 4 independent signals aligned
- 194 days off the track — placed last time
SR of 140 puts Bluey at the top of this card, and with five independent signals all pointing the same way, this isn't a marginal call. Nineteen weeks off the track and placed on return last time out — the layoff is a feature, not a flag.
- SR 140 — top of the card
- 5 independent signals aligned
- 194 days off the track — placed last time