Costanuci

Those wins, though, are getting harder to find. Costanuci last crossed the line in front at Clonmel in September 2023 — nearly three years ago now — and has gone the last six races without adding to the tally. The recent form reading of 5-8-5-4 suggests a horse that is running respectably without threatening to win, consistently finishing mid-pack rather than fading into the background entirely. That is something, but it will not be enough to satisfy anyone hoping for a return to winning ways.

The most striking pattern in the record is what happens when the ground is riding normally. On standard conditions, Costanuci has won 2 of 8 races — a 25% win rate, or 1 in every 4 attempts. That is a genuinely strong number, and it stands in sharp contrast to the overall career record. It means that when conditions suit, this horse can be seriously competitive, and it is the kind of stat worth remembering if you ever see the name in a racecard on a dry summer's day.

John Queally trains the horse, though the yard has had just one winner on the board this season, so it is not a yard operating at full throttle right now. Jockey Brian Hayes has partnered Costanuci seven times without getting a win, which suggests the combination, while familiar, has not yet clicked in the way the team will be hoping for.

Costanuci raced just one day ago, so is clearly fit and active. At nine, horses are not getting any younger, and with 34 months since the last win, patience is being tested. But the normal-ground record is a genuine reason for optimism — there is still a horse here capable of winning when things line up right.