Phil's Dream

His most recent win came at Wolverhampton just eight weeks ago, in March 2026, and that form matters because it's fresh. Before that, his first career win arrived at Dundalk back in January 2024, so there was a long gap between the two — over two years — which suggests he's a horse who needs things to fall right for him. The fact that he's found the winner's enclosure twice at all, despite racing 23 times, means the team at John C McConnell's yard clearly know what they're doing in placing him to find his best moments.

McConnell trains out of Stamullen in County Meath and has had a productive season, sending out 38 winners — a yard clearly in good form. Donagh O'Connor is the jockey who knows Phil's Dream best, having ridden him in 10 of his 23 races and winning once together, which is 1 win in every 10 rides. That's a modest return but it speaks to a horse who demands patience rather than one who fires on command.

His recent run of form — finishing eighth, then first, then second, then well back in three before that — has a stop-start quality to it. The second place last time out before his Wolverhampton win hints he was building toward something, and he delivered. Whether he can find that level again is the question. He raced just yesterday, so he's being kept busy, and an active horse in a yard firing winners is often one to watch closely over the coming weeks.