Pat Coyne

What keeps Pat Coyne interesting is his clear preference for Tramore, a course where he has won twice from eight races there—that is one in four, which is genuinely strong for a horse of his calibre. His last success came at that track on 17 April 2023, now more than three years ago, but those two wins suggest the layout or ground there suits him. He also performs noticeably better on normal conditions than anywhere else, winning 2 from 8 races on standard ground, compared to nothing from the other 16. John Queally's yard has had limited success this season, which may say something about the broader picture, though Aidan Kelly—his most frequent jockey—has won once in five rides aboard him, a rate that beats his overall figures by a comfortable margin.

At 12 years old and without a win since 2023, Pat Coyne has become the sort of horse who turns up race after race looking for one more chance. His Tramore record suggests there is a win left in him somewhere if he can get back there on the right day, but the months keep adding up and the form keeps slipping. He races on still—he was out just days ago—but this is the long goodbye of a horse who once knew how to win but has forgotten the habit.