Ira Hayes

His last victory came at Tramore on 20 April, four months ago now, and since then the form has been patchy. In his last six races he has managed a second place and a fifth, but mostly disappointment: a seventh, a fourth, an eleventh. He raced just yesterday, which means he is still actively campaigned, still being aimed at winning races. That kind of persistence from his trainer John C McConnell — who has sent out 36 winners from Stamullen this season — suggests the yard still believes there is more to come from him.

The curious detail is his partnership with his most regular jockey, Alex Harvey. They have teamed up seven times without a single win between them, a statistic that hints at a mismatch. Whether it is a matter of tactics, timing, or simply horses and riders finding their rhythm elsewhere, those runs tell you nothing has quite clicked when they work together. Ira Hayes found his first winning post at Wexford on 28 October 2024, and that breakthrough seems to have given him something to build on, even if the wins themselves remain scarce and spread far apart. He is a horse earning his keep slowly, a true journeyman.