Brian Fleming looks back at the action last week and nominates his ‘Tracker Trio’:'It’s interesting to see him among the entries for the 0-100 over 3m at Down Royal (1.30) on Friday' The irishracing.com tracker facility is something that has become a must-have tool for anyone serious about their punting. Having used the tracker since it was added a long time ago, I’m going to share some of the horses that have caught my eye over the previous week. The first race I’m focusing on is a 1m4f handicap at Gowran last Monday with a Curragh 1m2f handicap the following day and a 2m1f handicap hurdle confined to Qualified Riders at Clonmel last Thursday making up last week’s ‘tracker trio’. MISTER ADAM, trained by Ger O’Leary and ridden by Danny O’Leary, Gowran 5.10, Oct 19 Returning from a lengthy absence this 4yo gelding was a massive drifter contesting his second handicap over 12 furlongs. As the market suggested, having been put in at 5/1 in the morning and going off a 40/1 chance, he didn’t trouble the judge under his 10lb claimer. However, despite finishing only 8th of 14 he hinted enough having his first run for 452 days to suggest he can step up if none the worse for these exertions. Lightly-raced, he shaped well on debut when fourth in a 27-runner Curragh 1m maiden as a juvenile and went on to land a 12f Leopardstown 3yo handicap narrowly off 83 when well backed from 7/1 into 7/2 in May 2025. He was also declared the following day in the Amateur Derby at the Curragh last week but didn’t take part given he had run the previous afternoon. The handicapper has dropped him 1lb to a mark of 84 following this comeback run and is one to keep an eye on, especially if the market was to speak in his favour next time out. SPY, trained by Charles Byrnes and ridden by Ben Coen, Curragh 4.10, Oct 20 It’s been frustrating at times following this dual-purpose performer who won twice in Britain for Mark Johnston in 2022 before joining the Charles Byrnes stable later that year. It took 24 runs before he scored again since moving across the Irish Sea, landing a handicap hurdle at Killarney last year, but last week he hinted signs of more to come on the flat. Having dropped to a near career-low mark of 58 (he raced off 77 for Byrnes in 2023), he hit the line well after coming from off the pace in a ten-furlong handicap. He probably wants further these days and having won over 1m2f 150yds at Dundalk last December it wouldn’t surprise to see him head back there before the year end to tackle something similar or ideally a 1m4f handicap or beyond. He was left alone by the handicapper after last week’s run. DARK LIEUTENANT, trained by Pat Fahey and ridden by Dara O’Sullivan, Clonmel 2.10, Oct 22 When this horse parted company with Danny Mullins who put up a couple of pounds over after a final flight mistake at Down Royal last April, he was noted as the type to land a low grade handicap with a clear round of jumping. He reappeared at Clonmel after more than six months off last week and the market vibes were negative, drifting from 8/1 out to 25s. His run was more than encouraging though when runner-up to Lake Chad and his confidence will be boosted after this. Although upped 2lb for last week, he has the right profile if he can sharpen up his jumping a little more to land one of these before too long. It’s interesting to see him among the entries for the 0-100 over 3m at Down Royal (1.30) on Friday.
