Rodeo Blues

The worry, though, is that Rodeo Blues has gone quiet since that July win. Six weeks is a long gap in racing terms, and the recent form tells a mixed story: a fifth place five days ago, followed by another fifth before that, then a win, then a second place. That kind of inconsistency suggests the horse hasn't quite worked out how to perform at a consistent level yet. It has finished second or third in four of its nine races, which means it clearly has the class to get close — but converting those near-misses into wins will be key if this horse is to have a real career.

It trains under Joseph Patrick O'Brien at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, a yard that has been firing on all cylinders this season with 160 winners already sent out. That's the kind of stable where a young horse with potential gets every chance to develop properly. Rodeo Blues is still only three, so time is on its side, but it needs to find consistency soon if it's going to climb the ladder.