Hasten Slowly

The most interesting thread in that career is what happens when Hasten Slowly gets to Tramore. The seaside track on the south coast of Ireland has been genuinely kind to this horse: 2 wins from just 4 visits, which means it has won half its races there. That is the kind of record that makes you sit up. Most horses find one course that suits them; fewer find one where they win at that rate. The most recent of those Tramore victories came on 14 August 2025, just eight months ago, and it is the last time Hasten Slowly has seen a winning post — which makes it the obvious benchmark for what this horse can do when conditions click.

Those conditions include slightly soft, wet ground. On that kind of surface, Hasten Slowly has won 2 from 8 races — a 25% win rate, or 1 in every 4 — which is noticeably better than its overall average. Not every horse has a ground preference that sharp, and it is the sort of detail a trainer keeps very much in mind when planning a season.

The recent form figures tell a different story, though. In the five races before the last, Hasten Slowly finished ninth, ninth, ninth, tenth, and eighth — a rough patch by any measure. The win that broke that sequence, the Tramore victory in August, is a reminder that this horse has not lost the ability to win. It just needs the right stage. Jockey Alex Harvey has clearly found some chemistry here too, winning 2 of the 6 times they have partnered — roughly 1 in 3, well above the horse's career average.

McConnell's yard is having a productive season, sending out 42 winners already, which speaks to an operation that knows how to place horses well. A six-year-old with a course record like Tramore, a ground preference, and a trusted jockey on board is exactly the kind of horse a smart yard targets carefully. Hasten Slowly may not be in a hurry, but when the pieces line up, it delivers.