Cromwell, whose yard at Navan in County Meath has sent out 98 winners this season alone — a figure that speaks to one of the busier and more successful operations in Irish racing — is straightforwardly positive about where Begorra Man is headed. The horse's most recent second place came at Punchestown, where Cromwell points out he ran into Gameofinches, a horse he describes as very good. Finishing second to a standout rival in a competitive race is a very different thing from being beaten by an ordinary one, and it suggests Begorra Man belongs at a decent level even if the winner's enclosure has so far eluded him.
What is genuinely interesting about this horse's situation is the decision that lies just ahead. Cromwell plans to give him another run in the type of flat race used to introduce younger, unproven horses, but has already flagged that the horse may move on to hurdles afterwards — essentially a step up into the main stream of jump racing. That kind of forward planning, from a trainer who clearly knows the horse well, hints that Begorra Man is thought of as a work in progress rather than a finished article, and that the best is considered still to come. Three places from four races, with no wins yet, could easily look unremarkable on paper. In context, it looks more like a horse finding his feet before a trainer who has already sent out nearly a hundred winners this season decides it is time to take the handbrake off
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punchestown Galloping |
2 | 2 seconds | 29 Apr | 0% |
| Navan Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 21 Mar | 0% |
| Leopardstown Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 26 Dec | 0% |