What keeps the story interesting is who is doing the training. Gordon Elliott's yard at Longwood in County Meath is one of the most powerful operations in jump racing, and this season alone they have sent out 210 winners. To put that in context, that is not a stable sending out the odd winner on a quiet Tuesday — that is a factory of racehorses performing at the very top of the game. Elliott has saddled champions at Cheltenham and beyond, so even a horse at the bottom of his string is in excellent company and being prepared by some of the sharpest minds in the sport.
Golden Wings raced just yesterday, so whatever happens next is imminent. The honest truth is that four runs without a win, combined with a form line that includes a pulled-up run and a distant ninth, does not paint the picture of a horse about to burst into life. But horses can surprise you, the Elliott yard clearly knows something about getting animals to peak at the right moment, and at five years old there is technically still time to turn the page. For now, though, Golden Wings remains a work in progress — and very much a project that has not yet paid off.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cork Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 10 May | 0% |
| Limerick Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 10 Feb | 0% |
| Naas Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 15 Dec | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 11 Jan | 0% |