Bearami Creek

That Navan victory is the central fact of Bearami Creek's story so far. It took ten races to get there, but the horse delivered when it mattered, and now the question is whether it can build on it after five months off. Long breaks can go either way — horses can return refreshed and sharper, or they can need a race or two to find their rhythm again. The form before the break offers a little encouragement either way.

Sam Ewing has been the regular jockey, partnering Bearami Creek in seven of its ten races and riding the winner at Navan. Winning 1 from 7 together — roughly 1 in every 7 rides — is a modest return, but there is clearly a working relationship there, and that familiarity with the horse's quirks can count for something after a lengthy absence. The trainer, Peter Fahey, operates out of Monastervin in County Kildare and has sent out 12 winners this season, so the yard is in decent nick. Fahey is well capable of having a horse ready to perform on its return, which is worth keeping in mind.

At six, Bearami Creek is no youngster, and a record of 1 win from 10 races means expectations should be measured. But horses that show the kind of upward curve this one did in its last few runs — finishing closer and closer before breaking through — can sometimes turn a corner and become more consistent. Whether that September win was a one-off or the start of something is the question Bearami Creek now has to answer.