Cashel Blue

The real problem is what has happened since. Over the last six races, Cashel Blue has managed one third-place finish and another fifth, but mostly finished well down the field, including a 14th place most recently. That collapse in form is the sort of thing that makes trainers and owners wonder what's gone wrong. Still, he was back racing just a day ago, so confidence hasn't been abandoned entirely. The horse is actively campaigned, which suggests the team believes there is more to come.

K J Condon, based at Rathbride in County Kildare, has had a modest season so far with four winners from the yard. Cashel Blue's single victory represents one of those, and the fact that he found the right race once means it is not impossible he will do so again. Three-year-olds are often inconsistent—they are still learning how to race, still growing stronger—and a horse that won once has already proved it is capable of doing so. The challenge now is finding the right race and the right conditions to unlock that potential again before the season slides away.