Synchronize

The recent form makes for difficult reading. Looking at the last six runs, the best result is a ninth place, and the numbers go as high as thirteenth. That kind of finishing position — deep in the field, race after race — suggests this is a horse that is not just unlucky or running into better rivals on a bad day. It is genuinely struggling to make an impression at its current level.

Shane Fitzgerald has been the jockey most associated with Synchronize, riding the horse five times without a win between them. That is not necessarily a criticism of either — sometimes a pairing just does not click, and five runs together is a reasonable sample. The horse typically competes in Class 4, which sits in the middle of the racing ladder, neither the very top nor the bottom. Going winless from three races at that level is a concern, because Class 4 is exactly where a horse like this should be competitive if it is going to win anywhere.

What makes Synchronize's story worth paying attention to is the sheer persistence involved — sixteen races is a serious investment of time, money, and effort from the team behind the horse. Most owners and trainers will keep trying if they believe there is a win somewhere in a horse, and clearly that belief has not run out yet. The horse raced just one day ago, so it is very much still active and still being given chances. Whether that patience is eventually rewarded is the only real question left to answer.