Brianna Lily

The broader picture, though, is one of a horse who finds winning hard to come by. Two wins and six places from 27 races is a modest return, and she hasn't tasted success in over two and a half years, with her last win coming at Clonmel back in September 2023. Her recent form — a third place being the highlight across her last six outings — suggests she's competitive enough to place but has struggled to get her head in front. At nine, that's unlikely to change dramatically.

She is trained by James M Barcoe out of Gowran in County Kilkenny, a yard that has been in decent form this season with 7 winners sent out. Her most regular partner in the saddle is Mark McDonagh, who has ridden her in 6 races and won once — a win rate of roughly 1 in 6 together, which is actually a touch above her overall average. She raced just yesterday, which tells you she's fit and active, even if the results haven't been coming.

The story of Brianna Lily is really the story of Clonmel. Elsewhere, she is a horse who fills places and runs honest races without threatening to win. But put her back at that track in County Tipperary and the numbers say she transforms. Whether the yard dare to dream that a third Clonmel win is still in her at this stage of her career is the most interesting question surrounding her — because on current form, that may be the only realistic route back to the winner's enclosure.