Space Warrior

That Fairyhouse win is now 18 months in the rear-view mirror, and Space Warrior hasn't been able to repeat it since. The last six runs read 3-9-6-–-4-6, meaning a handful of near-misses alongside some forgettable efforts, and nothing that has seriously threatened the winner's enclosure. For context, the horse has run 11 times over trips of two miles or more and won once from those — 1 in 11, or 9% — which is at least better than its overall record, and suggests the stamina-sapping distances suit it more than anything shorter.

The partnership with jockey Danny Mullins is the most consistent thread running through Space Warrior's career. They've teamed up 10 times, and Mullins has been aboard for the horse's only win. That's a win rate of 1 in 10 together — modest, but the trust is clearly there, and when Space Warrior has had its moments, it's usually been with Mullins in the saddle. He's the nephew of trainer Willie Mullins, but Space Warrior is trained separately by Thomas Mullins, based at Goresbridge in County Kilkenny. The yard has sent out two winners this season, so it's a smaller operation rather than a powerhouse stable.

Space Warrior raced just yesterday, which makes this a horse still very much in the thick of things — Thomas Mullins hasn't given up on finding another day in the sun. With a career record that carries two placed finishes alongside the single win, it's not a horse that embarrasses itself, just one that finds winning the hardest part. If the conditions are right, the trip is long, and Danny Mullins is booked, there's at least a thread of hope to follow.