A Wave Of The Sea

That tight, undulating track in the Irish midlands seems to suit A Wave Of The Sea like almost nowhere else. Two wins from seven races there — nearly 1 in every 3 starts — is a remarkable return for a horse that struggles to win anywhere at all. The most recent of those came as recently as September 2025, which shows there is still life in the legs. Wet and muddy ground brings out something extra too: 2 wins from 13 races on soft ground works out to 15%, more than double the overall average. When the rain comes and the track gets heavy, this horse becomes a different proposition.

The partnership with jockey Simon Torrens, however, has yet to click. Eleven races together, zero wins — a partnership that has produced plenty of effort but no reward so far. Trainer J P Broderick's yard has sent out just 2 winners this season, so this is a small operation without the firepower of the big stables. What they do have is a horse that knows its job and keeps presenting itself at the track. The quotes attributed to Joseph O'Brien from earlier in this horse's career paint a picture of something uncomplicated and honest — a horse that, when the jumping was right and the blinkers went on, could produce a serious performance on a big occasion.

Six races without a win now, with recent finishes reading 17th, 4th, 14th, 12th, 5th, and 7th — none of those are encouraging. The Class 1 races have yielded nothing from three attempts. But the Kilbeggan record is real, the soft ground form is real, and the fact this horse raced just one day ago tells you everything about its durability. At ten, with modest recent form and a small yard behind it, expectations should be measured — but written off entirely? That seems premature for a horse that has made a habit of surprising people.