Small Fry

The most eye-catching number here is what happens when Small Fry runs over longer distances, between a mile and six furlongs and two miles. Over that range, it has won 5 of 12 races — that's 42%, or nearly winning every other time out. That is a significant edge. Most horses at this level win somewhere between 1 in 5 and 1 in 6 races over their career; Small Fry is winning nearly 1 in 2 when conditions suit. The message is clear: get the trip right, and this horse is genuinely hard to beat.

Then there is Epsom Downs, one of the most unusual racecourses in Britain — a hillside track with a sharp downhill bend that catches out horses and riders who don't know it well. Small Fry seems to love the place. Two wins from just three races there, including a Class 2 victory on 7 June 2025, tells you this is a course specialist in the making. A Class 2 race sits among the upper tier of races in Britain, so that win is no fluke and no small achievement.

The partnership with jockey Tom Queally is also worth noting. In five races together they have won two — that is a 40% win rate, which is exceptional for any rider-horse combination at this level. When those two are paired up, the record suggests paying close attention.

Behind all of this is trainer Joseph Patrick O'Brien, operating out of Owning Hill in County Kilkenny. His yard has sent out 160 winners already this season — that is the output of a large, well-run, highly professional operation. Small Fry raced just one day ago, meaning this is a horse very much in the thick of its season right now. With its best form coming over longer trips, and Epsom having just reminded everyone what it can do on a big stage, Small Fry looks well worth following wherever it turns up next.