The recent form makes for interesting reading. Back-to-back runner-up finishes in races five and six from the end showed real promise, and a fourth place followed, but the last three runs have produced two blanks and a third. That dip in form is something the team will be watching closely, particularly given the horse raced just one day ago and is clearly being kept busy.
What is striking is the context in which Penny Express is operating. The trainer is Gordon Elliott, one of the most powerful forces in jump racing, training out of Longwood in County Meath. Elliott's yard has sent out 210 winners already this season — a quite extraordinary number that tells you this is not a small operation producing the odd result here and there, but a factory of winners. When a stable of that size and quality keeps running a horse that has not yet won, it usually means one of two things: they believe the win is coming, or they are using these races as part of a longer-term plan. Either way, it is a vote of confidence in the horse.
For Penny Express, the next race is the one that matters most. Eight races in and still searching for a first win, the pressure is gentle but real. Placed horses with a powerful yard behind them do eventually find their moment — and when they do, the story suddenly looks very different.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tramore Sharp |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 15 Aug | 0% |
| Downpatrick Undulating |
2 | 1 second, 1 third | 15 Jun | 0% |
| Listowel Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 2 Jun | 0% |
| Killarney Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 17 Jul | 0% |
| Clonmel Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 14 May | 0% |
| Tipperary Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 3 Jul | 0% |