Collective Power

The bright spot in this picture is Dundalk, where Collective Power seems most at home. The horse won there last on 28 November—nearly ten months ago now—but this was not a one-off success. The track appears to suit its style, and returning there might yet spark a turnaround in form. Trainer Edward Lynam, who runs a small yard at Dunshaughlin in County Meath, has built a modest record this season with five winners overall, and Collective Power remains an active part of those plans. The horse is most often ridden by Sorcha Woods, under whose guidance it has won 2 of 17 races—a 12% win rate together, slightly above the horse's overall average, suggesting they work well as a partnership even if the results have dried up lately.

At eight years old with a long career behind it, Collective Power is a seasoned campaigner, but the long spell without a win raises questions about whether another victory is coming or whether the horse has simply run its race. What matters now is whether Lynam can find the right conditions—perhaps back at Dundalk—to get this reliable performer back to the winner's circle.