Fr Gilligansvoyge

The recent form paints an interesting picture. Reading from most recent backwards: a third, a first, a second, two fourths, and one run where it didn't finish. That sequence, with a win sitting second from last in the list, shows this is a horse in decent nick right now, not one coasting on old glories. It raced just one day ago, so whoever is following Fr Gilligansvoyge has had very little time to catch their breath.

The partnership with regular rider Jake Coen is one area that raises an eyebrow. In eight races together, they have not yet won — 0 from 8 — yet the horse clearly has winning in it, since both career victories have come. That suggests the wins came with different riders in the saddle, and that finding the right combination still matters, even at this stage of a long career.

The first win arrived at Punchestown in April 2023, a track with a strong reputation and a crowd to match. The second came over three years later at Downpatrick. Long gaps between wins are a familiar rhythm for a horse with this kind of record, which makes that recent victory feel all the more worth celebrating. Fr Gilligansvoyge is not a horse that dominates — but it endures, and right now, at an age when most rivals have been put out to grass, it is still competing and still winning. That, in its own quiet way, is a story worth telling.