River Tara

What keeps things interesting is the recent form. The last six runs read third, second, second, then three blanks — and reading that in reverse (most recent first) tells you this horse has hit a flat patch but was genuinely competitive not long ago. Back-to-back second places suggest River Tara can mix it at this level and find the line, just not quite first. Whether that frustrating consistency turns into a win again is the question every race now carries.

Trained by C A Murphy out of Gorey in County Wexford, River Tara runs for a yard that has sent out 9 winners this season — a team clearly capable of getting horses to the track in form. The fact that River Tara raced just yesterday and remains active suggests the team still believes there is a performance worth chasing. At eight, time is not unlimited, but the horse is clearly sound and still competing. Another day like those two second-place finishes, and Downpatrick 2023 might not stay the only entry on the honours board for much longer.