Irish Panther

What makes the recent form genuinely eye-catching is the sudden shift in gear. Looking at the last six runs from most recent to oldest — 2, 6, 2, 1, 1, 3 — you can see that Irish Panther won back-to-back races in October and November 2025, its first two career victories arriving within just a few weeks of each other. The first came at Clonmel on 23 October, then a second followed at Naas on 9 November. Winning 2 of its last 6 races is a far better return than anything earlier in the career suggested, and it points to a horse that may have found its confidence, its ideal conditions, or simply its moment.

Irish Panther is trained by the father-and-son partnership of Eddie and Patrick Harty, based at the Curragh in County Kildare — one of Irish racing's most storied locations. With 17 winners already on the board this season, the yard is clearly in good form, and it is the kind of stable that knows how to place a horse to give it every chance. In the saddle most often is Kieren Buckley, who has ridden Irish Panther in 5 of its races and partnered it to 1 of those wins — a 20% win rate together, or 1 win from every 5 rides, which is a healthy partnership by any measure.

The horse raced just one day ago, meaning it is right in the thick of an active campaign. Given that its two wins came within six weeks of each other and it has finished second twice in its last six outings, there is a real argument that Irish Panther is currently running the best racing of its life. Nine years old and peaking — it happens, and when it does, it is one of racing's more satisfying stories.