Scalpnagoon

Those two wins came within three weeks last winter. He won first at Thurles in January 2025, then again at Naas in February, both times showing the kind of attitude and grit that Gordon Elliott—his trainer at Longwood in Co Meath—clearly values in a horse. Elliott's yard has sent out 210 winners this season, so he knows what he is doing. The trainer has made his intentions clear: Scalpnagoon is a hurdle horse being aimed at fences. He is described as big and strong, the kind of physical specimen that needs room to stretch his legs and jump solid obstacles. Elliott believes that moving him into chasing will unlock improvement, and has earmarked a beginners' chase—likely a final or qualifier—as his next target.

The gap between his last win and now is long, and his recent form suggests he is still looking for the right race and ground. But Elliott's confidence in his jumping ability and his assessment of the horse's build tell you this is not a failing performer being pushed past his level. Scalpnagoon looks like a project with a clear plan: a horse waiting for the switch to fences to make sense of his career.