Aisling Oscar has been crowned December’s AW Bonus Horse of the Month, capping a flawless spell on the all-weather for Malton trainer Adrian Keatley and owner Dan Astbury. The five-year-old’s consistency and resilience through the festive period set him apart, earning top honours in one of the winter’s most competitive monthly awards.
The accolade was secured thanks to three consecutive victories at Newcastle, the sequence completed on December 20, which propelled Aisling Oscar to a maximum return of 75 points and the £20,000 first prize. It was a decisive outcome in a month where several rivals remained firmly in contention until the closing days.
Seven horses had the opportunity to draw level with the eventual winner, but it was the Tony Carroll-trained Towerlands who came closest, finishing runner-up following his own strong effort at Newcastle. Towerlands ended the month on 68 points, a total matched by Jim Boyle’s Dandy Khan and Heather Main’s Zoulu Warrior. Each of those connections collected a £5,000 bonus for their consistency across December.
The success also brought rewards behind the scenes. Stable staff connected with Aisling Oscar received £5,000, while the teams associated with the three joint-second horses shared a further £5,000, underlining the initiative’s wider recognition of the people involved in preparing horses through a demanding winter schedule.
AW Bonus Horse of the Month: Trainer Reaction
Adrian Keatley was quick to acknowledge the collective effort behind the victory. “We are delighted to win the AW Bonus for December with Aisling Oscar,” he said. “It is great for his owner Dan and all the staff in the yard. Josh Brown, our amateur, Oisin McSweeney and Barry McHugh ride out regularly and each of them have had a win on the horse since he joined us, so thanks to them as well.”
Keatley admitted the final days were spent anxiously watching results from afar. “I was away in Dubai for much of the final week as we had a runner over there, but Dan was keeping an eye on the other horses going for their third win and keeping me updated. Thankfully, every time a text came through, the result had gone in our favour. The AW Bonus is a fantastic initiative and it is nice to not have to share the first prize.”
Formerly trained in Ireland, Aisling Oscar was purchased for 3,200 guineas in September and has made rapid progress since switching yards. He now sits eighth in the overall AW Bonus Horse of the Year standings, having already recorded a win and a third from two appearances in November prior to his December treble.
Keatley believes there may still be more to come. “We thought there could be plenty of improvement in Aisling Oscar when we bought him, just by switching up his routine. He is a very straightforward horse and has pleased us in his work from day one. The fact he has not been winning by big distances has been a help from a handicapping perspective as well.”
Attention now turns to the remainder of the winter campaign. “The £100,000 AW Horse of the Year bonus will have to be his goal now. We will have a crack at the January bonus in the meantime as there are a few races pencilled in for him from halfway through the month,” Keatley added.
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