Not Simple

The recent form makes for sobering reading. Over the last six races, Not Simple has finished fifth at best, with double-digit finishing positions becoming a familiar sight. That Cork win now sits eight months in the past, and nothing in the current sequence suggests a return to form is imminent. Still, the horse has raced as recently as yesterday, so the team clearly believes there's a race to be won somewhere.

Where Not Simple looks most at home is over distances of seven furlongs to a mile. In five races at that range, it has won once — the Cork win fell right in that bracket — giving it a 20% win rate over its preferred trip, or 1 win from 5. That's a meaningful contrast to its overall record, and it suggests that if conditions and distance align, there's a version of this horse that can compete. The challenge is finding the right spot.

Regular jockey Luke McAteer has been in the saddle for six of those 11 races and was aboard for the win, giving the pair a shared record of 1 from 6 — roughly 1 in every 6 together. Trainer James M Barrett operates out of Goresbridge in Co Kilkenny and has sent out two winners from his yard this season, so Not Simple's Cork success represents a real contribution to what has been a modest campaign. For a small yard, every winner counts, and this horse delivered when it mattered.