Under The Radar: five to note from Andrew Slattery

You are as likely to see Andy Slattery at Dundalk on a Wednesday or a Friday these days as you are to see him at Thurles on a Thursday or at Fairyhouse on a Saturday.

The Killenaule man continues on his upward trajectory under both codes.  He has had more winners on the Flat in Ireland in 2025 than he has had in any other year since he started training.  As well as that, he has had 18 National winners thus far this season, more than he has ever had in an entire season before, and we are still only in December.  

He has lots to look forward to this season too over the Christmas festivals and beyond.

He was impressive in winning his beginners’ chase at Wexford at the end of October.  We were happy with his run in the Grade Two Craddockstown Chase at Punchestown last time too, when he went down by just a neck to Westport Cove.  

We were aiming him at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day, but he just pulled a muscle there, so we’re going to miss that.  We’re thinking of the Grade Three race at Punchestown on January 11, the Killiney Novice Chase and, if not that, then he could go to Thurles in February.  There are plenty of races for him.  We always thought that he would be a better chaser than hurdler.  

Looking further ahead, we may not be looking at Cheltenham for him.  We could be staying at home, targeting races at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.  He could be a horse for the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, or the three-mile novices’ chase at Punchestown.   We’ll see.  He’ll tell us where he should be going.

He won his bumper at Galway in early October and, after finishing second on his hurdling debut back at Galway three weeks later to L’Evangeliste, who won next time too, he went to Thurles in November and made all under Adam Ryan in a qualified riders’ maiden hurdle.

We took him to Cheltenham on Friday for a novices’ hurdle, but it never really happened for him there.  He didn’t jump well and he weakened from the home turn.  Nothing came to light afterwards, but we just felt that he didn’t run up to his best for some reason.

He was fine when he came back and he seems to be in good form at home now.  There’s a Listed handicap hurdle for three- and four-year-olds at Limerick over Christmas, and he could go for that.  He’s versatile in terms of ground conditions, he won his bumper on yielding ground in October and he won his maiden hurdle on yielding to soft in November.

He finished a good second to The Big Clubman on his hurdling debut at Wexford at the end of October, and that horse went on to finish a close second behind Kalypso’chance in the Grade Three Monksfield Hurdle at Navan next time.   

Parnell Street improved for a step up in trip at Clonmel last time, when he kept on well to win a maiden hurdle over two miles and three and a half furlongs.  He could go for a winners’ race at Limerick now over Christmas over two miles and six furlongs.  He stayed two miles and three and a half furlongs well last time on heavy ground, and there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree.

He’s a very good jumper, but he’s so big, I don’t think he jumps hurdles as well as he jumps fences.  We’re looking forward to going over fences with him next season but, in the meantime, it will be interesting to see how high he can go over hurdles.

She was good in winning at Gowran in early October, and she finished second behind Casheldale Lad in a Listed hurdle at the big meeting at Down Royal at the end of October.  She was well beaten by the winner there, but he went on to run a big race in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle next time against Teahupoo and Ballyburn.

She had a break after Down Royal, she’s only just back a week, and we have a spring/summer campaign in mind for her.  We’re looking at the end of March for her return.

She might be good enough to win a Listed hurdle in the spring and she will go back on the Flat then when the turf season starts back.  She won her maiden over a mile and six furlongs at Killarney in July and there could be a good two-mile handicap in her on the Flat.

He's a nice horse who won his point-to-point for Colin Bowe in January 2024.  He hasn’t run since and we only got him about two and a half months ago, but he’s doing things nicely at home. 

He’s from the family of Merry Gale, he’s a three-parts brother to Major Fortune, who has won six times over hurdles, and his dam is a half-sister to Festive Affair, who was a good two-mile chaser. He worked well there last week.

We have him entered in a maiden hurdle at Thurles on Saturday, so he could start off there, he jumps well, or he could start off in a bumper.  We think that he’ll be competitive wherever he goes.