Zanndabad

Since then, though, the horse has struggled to replicate that form. Its last six races tell the story: a second place and two thirds, bracketed around some unremarkable efforts. It won 2 of those 6 runs, but the wins came early in that sequence. The most recent victory came back on 29 November, nearly nine months ago, which means Zanndabad has been chasing that feeling ever since. These are the margins that define most horses' careers — bursts of encouragement separated by long stretches of near-misses and disappointment.

Trainer A J Martin's yard at Summerhill, Co. Meath, has sent out 13 winners this season, so the team knows how to get horses to the line. Daniel King, the jockey most associated with Zanndabad, has ridden the horse five times and won once on board — a 20 percent win rate with this particular partnership, which is solid. But Zanndabad's overall record of 2 wins from 24 races (roughly 1 in every 12) and a Class 2 record of 1 win from 8 races (12 percent) suggests a horse that punches at a decent level but is not quite quick enough to be reliable at the highest standard it races in. It remains active and in training, though, and those two wins in quick succession last autumn mean it is not without a shot.