Coeur Sublime

The most striking fact, though, is the absence. Coeur Sublime last set foot on a racecourse in September 2023 at Listowel, where it picked up its second and most recent win. That was 28 months ago — over two years during which races have been run, seasons have turned, and most horses in training have clocked up a dozen more runs. A return from that kind of layoff is never straightforward, and any expectations will need to be tempered accordingly.

When this horse has raced, the middle distances have suited it best. Over 1 mile 6 furlongs to 2 miles, Coeur Sublime has won 1 from 4 races — a 25% win rate that stands clearly above its overall record. That is the kind of detail worth remembering: find the right trip and this horse is a different proposition. Its first win came at Gowran Park in January 2022, and the most recent at Listowel over a year and a half later, so there is proven form at tracks across Ireland.

Rachael Blackmore, one of the most celebrated jump jockeys in the world, has been in the saddle for six of Coeur Sublime's 13 races, winning once — a 17% win rate, or roughly 1 in 6. That is a meaningful partnership, even if it has not produced fireworks. Behind the horse sits the Henry De Bromhead yard in Knockeen, Co Waterford, one of Ireland's most respected operations. With 106 winners already on the board this season alone, De Bromhead knows how to get a horse ready to run. If anyone can bring Coeur Sublime back from a long absence in decent shape, it is a yard operating at that kind of volume and confidence.