Kawaboomga

The one win came at Fairyhouse in January 2025, and it was not a soft touch. Trainer Willie Mullins noted afterwards that Kawaboomga beat a horse called William Munny in what he described as a hot race — which, given the strength of Irish jump racing, means the form carries genuine weight. Before that, the horse had finished second to Kopek Des Bordes, a result Mullins later said "hadn't worked out too bad," which in trainer-speak is almost a rave review. Mullins also flagged after the Fairyhouse win that Kawaboomga looks like a horse who will stay much further — in other words, the longer the race, the better he might get.

The yard behind him is Willie Mullins, operating out of Muine Bheag in Co Carlow and currently one of the most formidable training operations in the world. This season alone the yard has sent out 230 winners, which is not a typo — that is a genuinely staggering output. Having your horse trained there is roughly the equivalent of your kid being coached by the best manager in the league.

As for what comes next, Mullins has been clear: the plan is to switch Kawaboomga over fences, and Cheltenham is very much on the radar. Specifically, the Turners Novice Hurdle was mentioned as a target — one of the most prestigious races at the Festival. Whether he gets there in this half of the season or the next, a horse that places in all four of its races and wins at a track as competitive as Fairyhouse is one worth keeping an eye on.