Only For Our Man

The last six races tell the real story: finishing second, second, first, second, tenth, and fifth in reverse order. Strip out that one poor run and this horse has been remarkably consistent, barely leaving the frame. Four runner-up finishes alongside that win suggests a horse that competes hard almost every time it lines up — the sort of animal that will test your patience but rarely embarrasses itself.

That first career win came at Down Royal on 12 April 2026, and it was a long time coming across eight career starts. Breaking through can matter more than it sounds — horses that learn how to win often become easier to win with again. Seven weeks on from that breakthrough, Only For Our Man raced just yesterday, so Paul Nolan clearly has no intention of letting the momentum fade.

Nolan trains out of Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford and has been in fine form this season, sending out 25 winners. A yard firing at that rate tends to be placing its horses well and keeping them fit, which is exactly the kind of environment a horse like this needs around it. When a trainer is in that kind of rhythm, the horses around them tend to benefit.

The combination of recent consistency, a confidence-boosting first win still fresh in its legs, and an active campaign under a trainer in good nick makes Only For Our Man an interesting horse to follow right now. It may not be winning one in five, but it is rarely far away — and in racing, horses that keep showing up close to the front have a habit of eventually taking their turn at the top.