Slane Hill

The ground is the key with this one. On slightly wet conditions, Slane Hill is a different animal — 2 wins from just 4 races on that surface, meaning he wins half his races when the ground is in his favour. That's a remarkable number. Most horses you'd be thrilled with 1 in 5; Slane Hill is hitting 1 in 2 when things are soft underfoot. Keep an eye on the forecast before writing him off.

His most recent win came at Navan in November 2024, which is now 17 months ago, and he hasn't raced in roughly 7 months either. That's a significant break, and his last six runs read 5-4-3-3-5-1 going backwards — so he's been finishing mid-pack more often than not, apart from that Navan win. The question returning from a long absence always throws up is whether he's coming back fresh and ready, or whether the yard has been nursing something. Barry Connell, who trains him out of Nurney in Co. Kildare, has sent out 7 winners this season, so the operation is ticking over nicely — that's a useful sign.

Michael O'Sullivan rides him more than anyone else, and that partnership is worth noting: 2 wins from 9 races together, winning roughly 1 in every 4 and a half. When you consider Slane Hill only has 3 wins total in his entire career, O'Sullivan has been aboard for two of them. That's a meaningful relationship between horse and jockey, and when you see O'Sullivan's name in the saddle, it adds a layer of confidence. Whether that combination can click again after such a long absence — ideally on a slightly damp afternoon — is the interesting question Slane Hill poses on his return.