Annie Button

Her sole career victory came at Cork on 10 May this year, and that remains her high point. Since then, five months have passed without another win, though her recent form shows she is still competitive. In her last six outings, she has finished fourth, eleventh, first, sixth, and second, with one race missing from the data. That third-place finish hints at the kind of horse she is: capable of getting into the mix on her day, but more often than not finding herself in the pack rather than leading it.

Trained by Peter John Flood, Annie Button is part of a small yard — only one other winner has been sent out this season — which means she is getting personal attention in what amounts to a tight operation. The fact that she was back in action just a day ago shows she remains in work and active on the racing calendar. For a 6-year-old with her record, that consistency of racing is itself a form of success. She may never win a big prize, but she keeps turning up and trying, which is more than can be said for plenty of horses. Annie Button is the kind of runner that makes racing what it is: unglamorous, hardworking, and genuinely trying to get the job done every time the gates spring open.