Sly Man's Horses to Watch — Tuesday 22 September 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.
Town Queen
Town Queen is running at a career-best SR of 89 and Burke's yard is firing at 22% over the last month — that's not a stable sending out a handicap filler. The market agrees: strict-majority money coming in at 15/2, no drifters, which at Southwell on a quiet Wednesday evening tells its own story.
- SR 89 — near career best (89)
- K. R. Burke — 22% strike rate last 30d (22/98)
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
Oisin Murphy is firing at 24% over the last 30 days and Balding's yard is running hot alongside him at 19% — when those two combine, you pay attention. My Boy tops the card on a SR of 147 and at 6/1 that's the number worth circling at Southwell this afternoon.
- Oisin Murphy — 24% strike rate last 30d (30/125)
- SR 147 — top of the card
- Andrew Balding — 19% strike rate last 30d (28/146)
Eddie G sits top of the card on SR 86 and the market is already moving — strict-majority steamer with nothing drifting against it. That kind of one-way money on a 15/2 shot at Listowel is exactly the signal worth watching.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 86 — top of the card
Blackwater Lilly sits top of the card on an SR of 88 and the market is already talking — strict-majority steamer with no drifters to muddy the picture. Quinlan and King don't often show up at Warwick with something this sharp, and the money coming in says the same.
- Money coming — strict-majority steamer, no drifters
- SR 88 — top of the card
Politely tops the card with an SR of 93, and that alone puts her on the list. Callum Rodriguez has been in ruthless form — 12 winners from 57 rides in the last 30 days — and this looks a handy spot to add another.
- SR 93 — top of the card
- Callum Rodriguez — 21% strike rate last 30d (12/57)