That win came on wet, soft ground, which can catch some horses out and expose others as tougher than they look. Thenandnow handled it perfectly, and trainer Jessica Harrington was quick to point out that the filly is stronger now than she was as a two-year-old. The Moone yard has been in fine form this season — 53 winners and counting — so when they flag a horse as one to follow, it is worth paying attention.
What makes Thenandnow interesting is where she is headed. Harrington is convinced she is a six-furlong horse, meaning she wants a sharp, quick race over roughly three-quarters of a mile rather than anything that tests stamina. At those shorter distances of five to six-and-a-half furlongs, she has won 1 of her 5 races — which is exactly 20%, or roughly 1 in every 5 attempts. That is a decent return for a young horse still working things out. Regular jockey Shane Foley, who has been aboard for 5 of her 8 races and partnered her for that Curragh win, noted after the race that she needed something to chase — she got to the front and briefly seemed unsure what to do with herself. Give her a target, and she can quicken up sharply. That is a useful weapon.
She has raced 8 times in total, winning once and finishing in the places on 4 other occasions. It is a modest record on paper, but the trajectory matters here. With 53 winners already sent out from the yard this season, the team around her clearly has belief in what she can do, and the next target looks likely to be a fillies' race at Cork. If she gets a pace to race against, she could be well worth watching.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Curragh Galloping |
2 | 1 win, 1 other | 19 Apr | 50% |
| Leopardstown Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 21 Aug | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 3 May | 0% |
| Galway Tight |
1 | 1 other | 29 Jul | 0% |
| Ayr Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 20 Jun | 0% |
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 1 Jul | 0% |