Arctic Steps

Trained by Ross O'Sullivan out of Kilcullen in Co Kildare, Arctic Steps is part of a yard that has been firing on all cylinders this season — 35 winners already, which is a serious body of work and a sign that everything at the stable is running smoothly. That kind of background matters: horses from busy, confident yards tend to arrive at the track in good nick, and Arctic Steps appears to be no exception.

The horse's record on normal ground is particularly striking — 2 wins from just 4 races on a standard surface, which works out to a 50% win rate in those conditions. In racing terms, that's extraordinary. It suggests that when Arctic Steps gets the ground it wants underfoot, it becomes a completely different proposition and one that should have punters and rivals paying close attention to the forecast.

Jockey Rory Cleary has been the regular partner, riding Arctic Steps in 5 of its 16 career races and winning 1 of them — a record that mirrors the horse's overall ratio pretty closely, suggesting the partnership is solid if not yet sparkling. The first career win came at Down Royal in May 2025, but it was Naas last month that provided the most recent one, and with Arctic Steps having raced just yesterday, the team clearly has no intention of letting the momentum go cold.

At four years old and still progressing, this is a horse entering what should be its prime. The recent form — a win, two seconds, a fifth, and a first in the last six races — paints the picture of a horse that is placing consistently and winning when the conditions line up. If the ground stays normal and Cleary is in the saddle, Arctic Steps is the kind of horse you want to keep on your radar.