Joystick

He is trained by W P Mullins, arguably the most powerful racing operation in Ireland right now — a yard that has sent out 220 winners already this season alone. That volume means horses in the stable have to earn their place, and Joystick has been doing exactly that. His trainer noted during a stable visit last November that he never really looked comfortable jumping hurdles and always seemed built for fences — bigger obstacles, longer distances, a proper test. That instinct has proved correct. His first career win came at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day 2023, one of the most competitive days in the Irish racing calendar, which is no small stage for a first victory.

His most recent win came at Navan in January of this year, and the manner of it was telling. Jockey Brian Hayes, who rides him most often — they have won 1 from 5 together, a 20% win rate — described getting a lovely rhythm in front, with Joystick jumping fence to fence in the way that horses built for this kind of racing are supposed to. When a rival came to challenge at the second-last, Hayes said he thought for a moment he might be beaten. Instead, Joystick kept finding more, and won convincingly at the line. That ability to respond under pressure, rather than fold, is the mark of a horse with genuine quality.

His recent form figures — a seventh, a win, then a sixth and a fourth in the races before that — suggest he blows hot and cold, which is not unusual for a horse still finding his feet over fences. He raced just yesterday, so whatever comes next is still ahead of him. When the forecast turns wet and the ground gets heavy, Joystick is the kind of horse worth keeping a close eye on.