Solness

Trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien at Owning Hill in Kilkenny, Solness last tasted victory eight months ago in December at — you guessed it — Leopardstown. That win came with Sam Ewing in the saddle, though the horse is most often ridden by J J Slevin, with whom it has struck four times from 15 outings together. O'Brien clearly sees Solness as a horse with genuine ability on its day. Speaking after the Leopardstown victory, the trainer praised both the horse's toughness and its jumping, hinting at plans to return to that happy hunting ground in February. There has been some recent consideration of bigger targets: the trainer mentioned potentially running at Aintree, weighing that against staying in Cheltenham entries, though those plans remain fluid. After a run at Aintree not long ago, Slevin described a gutsy performance but acknowledged the winner that day was simply very good — a candid assessment of where Solness sits in the pecking order.

The horse has not won in its last six races, most recently finishing second just yesterday, and notably struggles in top-level company, going winless from three attempts at the highest class. But Solness is far from washed up. It remains a consistent performer with 18 places from 28 races, and on the right ground at the right track, O'Brien's yard has shown it knows how to get the best out of this horse. For racing fans who enjoy a course specialist with a clear preference for wet conditions, Solness is worth keeping an eye on — especially the next time it lines up at Leopardstown.