Rideau Canal

The win at Thurles is the defining chapter of Rideau Canal's story, and it came at a track where timing and track knowledge can matter as much as raw ability. It happened just three months ago, meaning Rideau Canal is still very much active and that victory is fresh rather than a distant memory. The recent form — a fifth, a ninth, a fifth, then the win, followed by two blanks — paints a picture of a horse who operates mostly in the middle of the pack, occasionally putting in something better, and pulled off a moment of magic at Thurles when it mattered.

Jockey Darragh O'Keeffe has been the regular partner, riding Rideau Canal in five races together without finding the winner's circle once. That record, 0 from 5, suggests they haven't quite clicked as a combination, though it's worth noting the single career win came under different circumstances. Trainer Mrs Denise Foster, based in Co Meath, has had four winners from her yard this season — a modest but active season — and Rideau Canal represents the kind of long-term project that tests any trainer's belief. The fact that the horse is still racing at eleven and still collecting places suggests Foster sees something worth persevering with, even if wins have been hard to come by. At this stage of a career, every race is a bonus, and at Thurles in February, Rideau Canal finally gave everyone connected to the yard a proper reason to celebrate.