Ukantango

Trained by Olly Murphy at Wilmcote in Warwickshire, Ukantango is part of a yard that has been in exceptional form — 146 winners in the current season alone, which is the kind of output that marks a trainer operating at full tilt. Ukantango has been one of the more consistent contributors, particularly on slightly soft ground, where he has won 2 of his 6 races on that surface — one in every three, which is a noticeably better return than his overall average. Murphy noted last autumn that the horse wants decent ground to show his best, so when the conditions suit, he becomes a more serious proposition.

His partnership with Sean Bowen spans 10 races together, though they have only combined for 1 win — a 10% return that puts them just below where you'd hope a settled combination would be. That said, Bowen is one of the most capable jump jockeys in the country, and the partnership clearly has more to offer.

The standout recent moment came at Cheltenham — a venue that sorts horses out ruthlessly. Murphy described it as a "funny race," with Ukantango appearing to go nowhere at the top of the hill before somehow finding himself in front at the bottom. It is exactly the kind of performance that is hard to explain but impossible to dismiss: the horse figured something out for himself and delivered on the biggest stage. Murphy admitted he didn't quite know what to do next after such a hard race — high-class praise wrapped in a puzzle.

Since then, Ukantango has won at Southwell as recently as 1 April 2026, just seven weeks ago, suggesting he has come through that Cheltenham effort in fine shape. He raced just yesterday, finishing fourth in his most recent outing. At nine, he is hardly a young prospect — but a horse who can win at Class 3 level, handle Cheltenham, and keep running into form is one well worth following through the summer.