Tatum

The most striking thing about Tatum is what happens when the conditions are right. On normal ground, this horse has won 2 of 4 races — that's a 50% win rate, which is genuinely exceptional. Most horses at this level win closer to 1 in every 8 or 10 races in ideal conditions, so winning half the time on its preferred surface puts Tatum in a different category entirely. Add in the fact that Tatum is at its best over longer distances — 1 mile 6 furlongs up to 2 miles — and has won 2 of only 3 races at that trip, and you start to see a horse that knows exactly what it wants.

The place Tatum seems to want most is Leopardstown. Two wins from three visits to that track is a remarkable record — it suggests the track suits this horse's particular way of racing in a way that not every venue does. Both career wins have come there, the first in May 2025 and the second in July 2025, and that kind of course affinity is the sort of thing seasoned racegoers pay close attention to when they see Leopardstown on the card.

Recent form backs all of this up. Over the last six races, Tatum has been placed five times and won once — a sequence that reads: unplaced, win, second, win, third, second. That is a horse consistently finishing in or around the money, not one drifting in and out of form. The overall career record of 2 wins and 9 places from 14 races tells a similar story: Tatum rarely runs badly, even when not winning.

One small puzzle is the partnership with Colin Keane, who has ridden Tatum five times without a win. That is not necessarily a criticism of either horse or jockey — these things happen — but it is the kind of footnote that adds a little intrigue. Meade's yard has sent out 42 winners already this season, so the team clearly knows what it is doing. When Leopardstown comes around again and the ground is riding normal, Tatum's name is one worth keeping an eye on.