Peig Sayers

The most encouraging number in the record is a fourth-place finish, which at least suggests there are horses out there that Peig Sayers can beat. The recent runs before that, however — two tenth-place finishes and then the distant 22nd — paint a picture of a horse still searching for its best. That said, the horse raced just one day ago, so the team at Thurles clearly haven't given up, and active campaigns sometimes turn corners when you least expect them.

Peig Sayers is trained by Miss Hilary McLoughlin out of Thurles in County Tipperary, a yard that has sent out two winners so far this season. It is a modest operation by the numbers, and a breakthrough for this particular horse would mean a lot to a small team. Whether that breakthrough is coming is harder to say — six races without even a place suggests Peig Sayers needs something to click, whether that is the right race, the right ground, or simply a good day. For now, the story is still being written.