Brewin'upastorm

Those wins, when they came, were at the right end of the sport. His first came at Aintree in November 2021 — a top venue, a Class 2 race, the kind of occasion that establishes a reputation. He followed that with another Class 2 win at Lingfield in early 2022. Then came his finest hour: a Class 1 victory at Fontwell in February 2023, one of the top races in Britain. Trainer Olly Murphy described the aftermath with barely concealed relief — there had been breathing concerns, a tight turnaround, ten days of doubt — but the horse delivered anyway. That is what good horses do on their day.

His most recent win came in April 2024 in Ireland, at Fairyhouse, and Murphy was visibly moved. He described Brewin'upastorm as "a very, very good horse on his day," said he'd outstayed the competition from the final fence, and admitted that training a big winner in Ireland was something he'd always wanted to do. It is the sort of win a trainer remembers.

Since then, though, the wins have dried up. His last six races have returned placings but no victories — a run that now stretches 26 months. He typically lines up in Class 1 company, the toughest bracket around, and at that level he has won just 1 from 10 races, roughly 1 in every 10. That is not embarrassing at the top of the sport, but it tells you the margin for error is slim. His most productive partnership has been with jockey Aidan Coleman, who has won 3 of their 8 races together — that is 38%, or just under 2 in every 5 rides, which is a remarkable ratio by any standard.

Murphy's yard has been in excellent form this season, sending out 146 winners, and the trainer has made clear the old horse still has plans. The hope is a spring campaign, with his breathing managed carefully. Whether there is one more big day left in him, nobody knows — but Brewin'upastorm has earned the right to find out.