Peaches And Cream

That one win came at Punchestown in April 2022, now nearly four years ago, and it remains the highlight of a career defined more by consistency than brilliance. He has placed five times in total, which tells you he is competitive enough to be in the mix — just not quite able to get his nose in front. His recent run of form reads 2-7-6-12-6-5, a sequence that includes a second place, which is as close as he has come lately. When jockey Jonathan Moore rode him at Wexford, he described him as "a bunny to jump" — a horse that pings fences and genuinely enjoys the job. That kind of natural jumping ability is rare, and it is part of what makes him worth persisting with.

He has been tried five times at Class 2 level — among the better races in Britain and Ireland — without winning, which is an honest reflection of where he sits in the pecking order. He is a solid, dependable horse who competes at a level above him occasionally without disgracing himself. Trainer Richardson has noted he cost just €1,200, and by any measure, a horse who has placed six times and contested Class 2 races is remarkable value for that price tag. He has been, as she puts it, "a great servant."

The plan now points toward the Borders National at Kelso, a long-distance test that suits a horse who, in Moore's words, "stays well." He fell at the last in the Ulster National earlier in the year when in contention, which is one of those painful near-misses that racing throws at you. For Peaches And Cream, another win may be a long shot — but he raced just yesterday and is still out there competing. At 11, that in itself is worth something.