Polar Bear

That Bellewstown win is worth dwelling on, though. Trainer Jessica Harrington described it as a tough performance, and given that Polar Bear had already shown his first bit of class at Naas the previous October, the yard clearly felt they had a horse who was knocking on the door. Harrington noted at the time that he'd had a touch of sore shins and a few niggles through the year, but that he'd strengthened up considerably — and when he finally got his moment, jockey Shane Foley said he jumped straight out and was simply tanking the whole way. That's racing shorthand for a horse who was travelling so easily his rider could barely hold him. On that day, everything clicked.

The problem is that day was 37 months ago. Foley has partnered Polar Bear in 20 of his 31 races — that's a long-term partnership by any measure — and together they've won 2 of those 20, a rate of roughly 1 in 10. His recent form tells a mixed story: a pair of placings in his last six races suggest he's still competitive, but a couple of double-digit finishes in there show the other side of the coin too. He raced just yesterday, which means he's currently active and his the yard are still finding races for him.

Harrington's yard, based in Moone, County Kildare, has sent out 54 winners this season, so this is no small operation. For Polar Bear, the hope is presumably that the right race on the right day unlocks something. He has shown he can win — twice he has — and a horse who jumps out and tanks his jockey when everything goes right isn't without ability. Whether that day comes again at six years old, and after a three-year drought, is the question hanging over every outing he makes.