Spanish John

His best distance is somewhere between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, and that is where the most interesting version of Spanish John lives. Over those trips he has won 2 from 14 races — roughly 1 in every 7 — which is more than double his overall rate. That gap matters. It suggests a horse who has a specific gear that only gets unlocked at the right distance, and the yard who have figured that out will keep coming back to that range.

His most recent win came at Bellewstown on 2 October 2025, which is now nine months ago and counting. Since then he has gone 0 from 6, with his last six runs reading 6-8-a non-completion-12-2-4. The second place in there is a reminder that he is still competitive, still running into the money — just not quite getting his nose in front. His most frequent partner in the saddle has been Danny Mullins, and together they have yet to click: 0 wins from 5 races. That is not necessarily a bad pairing waiting to happen, but it is a combination still searching for its moment.

Fahy's yard has been in decent form this season — 9 winners sent out — so the operation around Spanish John is functioning. His first career win came at Ballinrobe back in August 2023, and he followed that up with the Bellewstown success more than two years later, which tells you something about the gaps this horse operates in. He is not a frequent winner, but he is a genuine one. For anyone following him, the question is simply: when does the next one come? He raced just yesterday, so he is clearly still very much in training and in the mix. The next run will not be long in coming.