Sammy Smart

Both victories have come at Punchestown, the famous Irish track in County Kildare, giving Sammy Smart a record of 2 wins from 6 races there. That's winning 1 in every 3 visits — a completely different animal to the 1-in-11 record elsewhere. Some horses just click with a particular track, whether it's the shape of the course, the type of ground, or something harder to explain. Whatever the reason, Punchestown brings out the best in this horse in a way that other venues simply don't.

The recent form makes for genuinely interesting reading. Going back through the last six races — most recent first — the sequence reads 3-4-6-1-2-15. That 15th place finish stands out as a low point, but either side of it sits a win and a second. This is a horse that can look flat one day and competitive the next, which is the kind of unpredictability that keeps the yard guessing and makes Punchestown — where something clearly clicks — all the more valuable. The most recent win came on 31 December 2025, just four months ago, and the horse raced as recently as yesterday, so this is very much an active campaign.

Jockey Darragh O'Keeffe has been aboard for 10 of those 22 races and has one win to show for it — a 10% win rate, or 1 in 10, which mirrors the horse's overall record. The partnership is established if not spectacular. Trainer Thomas Gibney operates out of Trim in County Meath and has sent out 5 winners already this season, suggesting the yard is in decent form. Whether Sammy Smart adds to that tally will likely depend, as it so often does, on whether the next entry on the card happens to be at Punchestown.