Cinammon Roll

The concern right now is timing. That Perth win was twelve months ago, and the most recent form figures — a pair of sixths either side of a second place — suggest Cinnamon Roll has found things a little tougher since. Two wins from the last six races still tells you the ability is there, but the horse hasn't quite recaptured the spark of that winning summer.

What keeps the interest alive is who is doing the saddling. Gordon Elliott's yard at Longwood in County Meath is one of the most powerful operations in jump racing, and the numbers back that up — 210 winners sent out this season alone. When a stable of that size and quality keeps a horse in training, it usually means they believe there is more to come. Elliott doesn't run horses for the sake of it, and the fact that Cinnamon Roll has raced eight times in his care suggests the team see a horse worth persevering with. The next run — just one day after its last appearance — will tell us a good deal about whether the old form is ready to return.