The Lovely Man

The most striking thing about The Lovely Man is what happens when the rain comes down. On very wet, muddy ground he has won all three times he has run — a perfect three from three. That is not a coincidence; that is a horse who genuinely transforms in conditions that other horses hate. When punters check the weather forecast before a race, this is exactly the kind of horse they are hoping to find.

He has also become something of a specialist at Naas racecourse, winning 2 of his 6 races there — a track he clearly suits. His most recent win came at Naas on 8 March 2026, just eight weeks ago, and with the horse having raced as recently as yesterday, he is very much in the thick of things. Over his whole career, he has won 4 from 19 races — roughly 1 in every 5 — and placed in 11 others, meaning he has gone home with prize money more often than not.

The partnership with jockey Conor Stone-Walsh is worth watching too. Together they have won 2 of their 6 races — a win rate of 33%, or roughly 1 in every 3 rides — which is a strong return and suggests the two have developed a real understanding. Cromwell's yard is having an outstanding season with 98 winners already, so The Lovely Man is operating in a well-organised, confident setup.

The overall picture is of a horse who was perhaps not fully understood earlier in his career but has come into his own at seven, especially when the ground is soft and the track is Naas. Four wins in six races does not happen by accident, and with yesterday's run fresh in his legs and a trainer in top form behind him, The Lovely Man looks like exactly the kind of horse worth keeping an eye on as long as the rain keeps falling.