Inis Oirr

What stands out in his recent form is the shape of it. His last six races read 3-4-3-2-2-1, which is shorthand for consistency without the payoff most of the time. He placed in five of those six runs and won the last one just days ago at Perth, his first success in six months. That Perth win in late April was a turning point, because Inis Oirr had been sliding through Class 3 company—0 wins from 11 races at that level—before stepping back up to Class 2 and winning. His trainer, Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, noted recently that a change of tactics at Carlisle had worked wonders; they had stopped trying to dominate from the front, as he was getting worn down by stronger horses. The horse seems to respond better when allowed to race on his terms. They are now eyeing another attempt at the Edinburgh National, a race for horses that need to go right-handed round the track—another clue to what suits him.

Derek Fox, his most regular jockey, has ridden him 21 times and won twice (roughly 1 in every 10 races together), a win rate that mirrors the horse's overall record. That consistency between rider and horse suggests they understand each other, and the recent upturn in form—three placings in his last four races before the Perth win—hints that Inis Oirr may be regaining some lost rhythm. At his age and with his record, he is unlikely to become a consistent winner, but at the right track, with the right approach, and with a yard (the Russell-Scudamore operation) sending out 49 winners this season, he remains capable of occasional success.