One Last Tango

The horse's last victory came at Leopardstown on Boxing Day 2023, meaning it has now gone nearly three years without winning. That drought is telling. What makes One Last Tango worth watching, however, is the ground. On wet or muddy ground, the horse comes alive: it has won 2 of its last 5 races in those conditions, a 40 per cent win rate that stands out sharply against its overall record. It also wins regularly on normal ground, with 2 wins from 8 races (25 per cent), suggesting it is a horse that likes the mud but does not need it to run well. This makes it the kind of horse a trainer might point at the right race on the right day and actually fancy a chance.

Mark Walsh, the jockey who rides One Last Tango most often, has a much better record with the horse than the raw statistics suggest. Together they have won 3 of 16 races—a 19 per cent win rate—which is significantly better than the horse's overall form. That partnership matters. Eoin Griffin's Slieverue yard in Kilkenny has been productive this season, sending out 8 winners, and they clearly know how to keep an older horse competitive. One Last Tango will not be lighting up the record books, but on a heavy track with Walsh in the saddle, it remains capable of giving a decent account of itself.