Gavin Cromwell
Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: 2026 Flat Season preview
William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell reflects on another successful Jumps season and looks ahead to what 2026 could hold for Danestown’s Flat horses.
2025/26 Jumps season review
The 2025/26 Jumps season was a mixed year for us. I was reflecting on it the other day and thinking it wasn’t a great year, but there have been some high points throughout it.
Stumptown winning the Velká Pardubická was a great start, and I’d say it was probably my highlight of the season. It was a unique experience and a very memorable day. We were the first Irish winners of the race which was fantastic.
Will The Wise in the Topham was our first winner over the National fences which is another standout. Obviously every Cheltenham Festival winner is fantastic and Final Orders was brilliant in the Cross Country to lead home a 1-3-4 for us in the race.
Over in Ireland we won the Thyestes with Now Is The Hour which was brilliant, and to win both the Leinster and Ulster Nationals was special.
2026 Flat Season preview
Three to follow
Now we’re looking ahead to the Flat season which is already underway and my two-year-old to follow is Barrow Boy. He’s the one that’s standing out at the moment, he looks a really smart horse.
He had a lovely start to his season in Navan where he was beaten just half-a-length in a good maiden. Hopefully he can build plenty on that and we’re hopeful he could end up going to Royal Ascot.
Quiet Mutiny is the next of my three to follow. She was a very smart two-year-old maiden winner at Fairyhouse last season. She picked up a setback after that but had her first start this season in a stakes race in Cork the other day and did well to finish second. That was on very slow ground which wouldn’t have suited her at all.
We’re optimistic that she’ll improve plenty for that and we’ll be stepping her up in trip next time, probably to seven furlongs. She’s definitely returned her ability from two to three and could be one to watch this season.
My older horse to follow is Snellen. She’s been a rock-solid horse for us for the last few seasons and we’re looking forward to getting her started again this year because she’s been working really well.
She won the Chesham three years ago and was just touched off in the Kensington Palace last year, so we’re keen to go back to Royal Ascot with here. She seems to love it there and hopefully she can go one better this year.
Around the Yard
Brownstown – She started her season with a great run at Cork a couple of weeks ago. I expect her to improve again for that run and she’s a lovely filly that we’re really looking forward to for the rest of the season. We’ll take things step by step but we’d love to get a bit of black-type with her this season and I’m hopeful that she’ll achieve that.
Camino Vino – She’ll improve plenty for her first run this season, which was only her second every racecourse appearance. She’s a big, tall filly who has taken a bit of time to grow into her frame, but she could be a nice one going forward.
Fiver Friday – She won a big pot at the Curragh earlier this year and there’s a fillies-only handicap coming up there worth €100,000, so she’ll be aimed at that. She’s another who has been a good dual-purpose horse for us and hopefully she can keep going in the right direction.
Joyful Tidings – He had his second start of the season a couple of weeks ago at Naas and it was a big improvement from his first start. He’s a tough horse to get fit but I think there’s plenty more to come. He’s definitely going to be progressive and he’s one to keep an eye on through the season.
Londonofficecallin – He had a great start to the season, winning a €50,000 race at Cork over the Bank Holiday weekend. The handicapper hasn’t been too hard on him so hopefully he can build on that and win another nice pot this season.
Mergus Serrator – He’s a nice horse with a real staying pedigree. He’s going to develop into a nice staying horse who could eventually go two-mile hurdling. Hopefully he’s one that’ll keep improving throughout the year.
Mighty Danu – She won her maiden first time up in Galway, but we just couldn’t seem to get her firing after that. She’s back working well this season and she’ll have her first start shortly and I’m hoping she’ll build on that. She’s a grand filly.
Misty Cove – She ran well in the same maiden and Camino Vino on her debut last season, and then went to Kempton earlier this year. She won nicely on her handicap debut and reappearance in Sligo, so we’re hoping she can keep progressing this season.
Sir Benji – He was a good winner of a maiden on debut in Navan a few weeks ago and he’s a nice horse. He’s entered again at Roscommon on Monday and we’re keen to get him out again as he’s a horse we’re hopeful can be progressive throughout the season.
His owner would like to go hurdling with him as well and we think he’ll make into a nice dual-purpose horse. For now, it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on in that winners-of-one race at Roscommon.
Treasured Royal – She had a good two-year-old campaign. She’ll run again a Naas on Saturday and she’ll go there having improved plenty for her run there a couple of weeks ago. She took a little while to get going last time and she works well at home so hopefully she can run well this weekend and build on that.
