Seventy Eight Team

The recent form does at least show some life. Going back through the last six runs, there are two decent efforts in there — a second place and a fourth — which suggests the horse is not simply making up the numbers every time it lines up. A second place, in particular, means it was beaten by just one rival on that occasion, and that is genuinely competitive. The problem is translating that nearness into an actual win, something Seventy Eight Team has never managed across thirteen attempts.

Jack G Gilligan has had the ride more than anyone, partnering the horse in seven of those thirteen races without finding the winner's enclosure once. That is a difficult record to look at, though it is worth saying that the horse itself has never won regardless of who is in the saddle, so the blame is shared evenly. The pair have clearly had their chances together and simply not been able to convert them.

Trainer Paul John Gilligan operates out of Athenry in County Galway, and the yard has been in decent enough form this season, sending out five winners. That shows the horses in the stable are capable of winning races — Seventy Eight Team just has not been one of them yet. Now returning from a break of roughly three months, the question is whether the freshener has done the horse any good. Layoffs can sometimes rejuvenate a horse that has been running consistently without reward, and at seven years old, Seventy Eight Team is experienced enough to know what a raceday asks of it. Whether it can finally deliver a first win is another matter entirely.