River Vale

Both of those wins came in the last few months of 2025, and that matters. The first arrived at Thurles in late October, and then just six weeks later River Vale went to Naas — a sharper, more competitive track — and won again on 15 December. Back-to-back wins at the age of 10, at two different venues, suggests a horse that had genuinely found its form rather than stumbling into a lucky result. For context, plenty of horses this age are winding down; River Vale was speeding up.

Since that Naas win, the recent form reads 4, then three unplaced runs, then an 8 — a mixed spell that suggests the purple patch may have levelled off, though a fourth-place finish still means the horse was in the mix. River Vale last raced 17 days ago and is still active, so another run is likely coming soon.

The horse is trained by Michael Winters, based in Kanturk in County Cork, a yard that has sent out 6 winners this season — a solid return that suggests an outfit that knows how to have a horse ready when the moment comes. Regular rider Mr L Burke-Ott has been in the saddle for 6 of River Vale's races and has one win from those, winning roughly 1 in every 6 times they've partnered — a decent record given the horse's overall profile.

River Vale is never going to trouble the very top level of the sport, but that is not really the point. This is a 10-year-old that found a new gear late in 2025 and made the most of it. For anyone watching the yard's runners this spring, it is worth keeping an eye on what comes next.