Irish racing expert Cathryn Fry has more eyecatchers from the last couple of weeks; read her latest Horses to Follow from across The Irish Sea, exclusively for kwiff.
Cathryn Fry’s Irish Horses to Follow: October 2025
I personally love this time of year. It’s way cooler (I’m no fan of summer), you know what’s ahead and the dreams are still alive! The horses that caught your eye last year are yet to run, you think you’re sitting pretty with a decent hand. Now we all know that life and racing aren’t linear. Plus, there’s no sport in the world that can put manners on you like racing can, but, looking back through last years eye-catchers, we did alright.
Irish Horses to Follow: Glen Kiln
I have to mention Glen Kiln, Glen Kiln had Gaucher beat before unshipping Brian Hayes at Tipperary on October 5th in the Horse and Jockey Grade 3 hurdle. This was his first race back after winning at Fairyhouse in April. Such was the style of his run pre-unseat, HRI upped his OR from 136 to 143. You can expect that to rise as the season progresses. He runs this Tuesday at Punchestown.
Irish Horses to Follow: Love Me Tender
Staying at Tipperary: Love Me Tender extended his perfect record with a polished, front-running display to capture the Grade 3 BoyleSports Novice Hurdle at Tipperary for Willie Mullins. Always travelling sweetly under Paul Townend, the four-year-old gelding, making just his second start over hurdles, impressed with his fluent, accurate jumping throughout.
Turning for home, only Whimsy briefly threatened to make a race of it, but once Love Me Tender met the second-last on a good stride, he quickened clear and powered away to score by six and a half lengths with plenty in hand. The victory marked yet another milestone for the champion trainer, who has now claimed this Grade 3 event ten times in the past eleven years. Love Me Tender is already featuring in quotes for the 2026 Supreme. Although you can see him walking that path, it’s way too early to be looking at March!
Irish Horses to Follow: Wizard of Odds
Cork held a decent card on Sunday just gone, and the three year old Wizard of Odds looked plenty forward for the hurdling sphere having run on the level. A talented performer on the Flat, where he finished runner-up in the Madrid Handicap earlier this year, the Arizona gelding travelled smoothly into contention turning for home. He took command at the second-last and stayed on strongly to defeat Kibris by two and a half lengths.
Previously trained by Charles O’Brien and more recently Stephen Thorne, this was his first outing for owner-trainer Bill Durkan. Connections feel he wants heavy ground and he’s about to step up to graded company in the Bar One Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
Irish Horses to Follow: Ballysax Hank
As well as having his string in flying form on home turf, trainer Gavin Cromwell is adding an international flavour to his victories. Cheltenham Festival hero, Stumptown won the Velka Pardubice on Sunday. He looked to be in trouble at times, but, under an inspired Keith Donoghue he won, becoming the first Irish horse to do so.
Stablemate Ballysax Hank, winner of the Summer Plate at Market Rasen,has made the journey to Far Hills in the USA to run in this coming Saturday’s US Grand National. Given his liking for the conditions and the stable form, you would keep him onside. If you go to the Far Hills website on Saturday, you’ll be able to view the race there.
By Cathryn Fry
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