Franciscan Rock

The most recent win came at Clonmel in December 2024, which is now 17 months ago, and the last six runs have produced nothing better than a second place — the full sequence reading 7-2-5-9-4-3 from most recent backwards. That second place is the bright spot in there, a reminder that the ability is still present, but the wins have dried up and at nine years old, time is not exactly on Franciscan Rock's side.

Regular jockey Ricky Doyle has been in the saddle for 15 of those 29 races, a long-standing partnership that has produced just 1 win together — wins roughly 1 in every 15 rides, or around 7%. That is a tough number, though it reflects the horse's overall level rather than any particular failing; they clearly know each other well and keep turning up. The yard behind this horse is trained by M F Morris out of Fethard in County Tipperary, a team that has sent out 4 winners already this season and is clearly in working order.

What is perhaps most striking about Franciscan Rock right now is the timing — this horse raced just one day ago, which means it is bang in the middle of an active campaign. Whether that recent outing was the second place or a run further back in that sequence, the horse is being kept busy, and Morris is clearly not hiding it away. For a nine-year-old still being aimed at races and kept ticking over, that is at least a sign of a horse in decent health. The first win came at Thurles back in February 2023, which feels a long time ago now, but the career places tally shows a horse that has spent most of its time making the frame without quite converting. That is Franciscan Rock in a nutshell — competitive, consistent, and still searching for a winning day.