Firewalker

The most encouraging sign is the recent form. Firewalker finished second just a day ago before that, then fourth two races before that, and earlier in the sequence recorded ninth and tenth-place finishes. The narrow second-place finish immediately before the win suggests the horse had built some momentum and was running well when it finally got over the line. That win at Dundalk this week feels like the start of something rather than a one-off; horses that suddenly click into gear often stay competitive for a while afterwards. De Aguiar's yard has sent out 16 winners already this season, which is a solid win rate for a training operation, so Firewalker is in a stable with genuine form. The all-weather track at Dundalk clearly suits, and whether the horse can build on this breakthrough with another win soon will tell us whether this is genuine progress or simply a moment that came after months of trying.