American Mike

Trained by Olly Murphy at Wilmcote in Warwickshire, American Mike came to the yard with serious pedigree. He was a "big talking horse" under Gordon Elliott before moving to Murphy's care, and the shift has done him good. His most recent win came just three months ago at Perth on 23 April, but what makes his form most readable is his dominance at Navan, where he has won 3 of his 6 races—a win rate that reveals a genuine course specialist. When Murphy gets him right, American Mike shows what he is capable of. The trainer has noted that "the engine is still there," suggesting a horse whose physical ability has not dimmed with age.

His partnership with jockey Jack Kennedy stands out. Together they have won 3 from 7 races, a 43 per cent win rate that is significantly above his overall record and hints at how much the right handling matters to this horse. His recent form reads inconsistently—a win, then a ninth place, then a second and a fifth—but that volatility is typical of a horse built for certain conditions and certain moments rather than dependable consistency.

What lies ahead for American Mike remains intriguing. Murphy has suggested stepping him up in trip and targeting races like the Irish National, while acknowledging the horse's temperament has always been his limiting factor. At nine, American Mike is not getting younger, but his Navan record and his chemistry with Kennedy suggest he still has winning days in front of him if the mood takes him.