You Make Me Smile

The most interesting thing about You Make Me Smile is what happens when the conditions are right. On slightly soft ground — when there's a bit of give underfoot but it hasn't turned into a muddy slog — this horse wins 2 from 8, or 25% of the time. That's one in four, which is a dramatically better record than its overall numbers suggest. It means the trainer, P A Fahy, based at Leighlinbridge in County Carlow, has a horse that rewards patience. Wait for the right day and the right ground, and it becomes a completely different proposition.

Then there's Sligo. Over 6 races at that track, You Make Me Smile has won twice — a rate of 1 in 3. For context, most horses race at a course dozens of times without ever winning there once. Winning a third of your races at a specific venue is the kind of record that makes you pay attention when the entries come out. Something about that track suits this horse, whether it's the layout, the ground it tends to produce, or simply the distance. The numbers don't explain why — they just make the case.

The recent spell is harder to spin, though. The last win came at Galway in October 2025, and the six races since have produced no victories — a sequence of 8-7-3-2-3-2, which reads as consistent placing without the killer punch. Most recently ridden by Ms C A Walsh, who has yet to get a win from their six races together, the combination hasn't quite clicked. P A Fahy's yard has sent out 9 winners this season, so the operation is in decent form — this horse just hasn't been the one to add to the tally lately.

Raced just yesterday and still active, You Make Me Smile is not a fading force — just a horse waiting for the right moment. If that moment comes at Sligo, on soft ground, it would be foolish to ignore it.