Ballygeary

He spends most of his time at Class 3 level, however, and it is honest work without being spectacular — just 1 win from 11 attempts at that grade, which translates to roughly 1 in every 11 races. That said, he has placed 13 times in his career overall, meaning he finishes in the frame far more often than he wins. He is the sort of horse that keeps trying without always finding that extra gear. His most productive partnership has been with jockey Brian Hughes, who has ridden him to 3 wins from 12 races together — a win rate of 1 in 4, noticeably better than his overall record, which is worth noting.

It is now 26 months since that Market Rasen success, and his last six races have not produced a win. His recent form figures read 5-3-5-6-3, which means he has been competitive in places but not threatening to break the drought. Sowersby is not without options, though. He has spoken about a potential run in a hurdle race at Haydock, and has acknowledged that Ballygeary jumped well on his most recent outing at Aintree — better than he had previously — which is an encouraging sign. There has also been talk of eventually trying him over fences, a new challenge that could suit a horse who has perhaps found his ceiling over hurdles. The Sowersby yard has sent out 8 winners this season, so the operation is in decent form. Whether Ballygeary can contribute another remains to be seen.