Glen Kiln

The most striking thing about Glen Kiln is his love of wet, muddy ground. In races run on soft or heavy terrain, he wins half the time — two victories from four attempts. That's a genuine edge. At Naas, his spiritual home, he's won two of his three races there, which suggests the track suits him and that he arrives with form. His most recent victory came at that same track nine months ago in January, so there's been a long absence from the winner's enclosure, but the fact that he raced yesterday means David Harry Kelly's Tipperary yard hasn't given up on him. Brian Hayes, his most frequent jockey, has partnered him to three wins from 15 races together — a 20% return that's broadly in line with Glen Kiln's overall record.

His last six races tell the story of a horse grinding away: a second place, an eighth, another second, a first, then two blanks. That first prize must have felt good. It suggests Glen Kiln still has some fight in him, even if he's not the horse who dominates a race. He's the kind of genuine competitor who wins when the ground is heavy and he's at the right track, and who will probably keep running until he decides otherwise.