Karl Des Tourelles

What's notable, though, is how consistently he places without converting. Six placed finishes from 15 races means he has been in the mix regularly — he's not trailing home at the back. That suggests a horse who tries hard and isn't outclassed, but something keeps stopping him from getting his head in front. Whether that's the level of competition, the way his races are run, or simply a horse that needs everything to go right on the day, the wins haven't come.

Brian Hayes has partnered him for 11 of those 15 races, winning just the once together — roughly 1 in every 11 rides. That's a long-standing combination without much to show for it in the winner's enclosure. Philip Fenton trains him out of Carrick-On-Suir in County Tipperary, and the yard has been in decent form this season with six winners sent out, so it's not for lack of a functioning stable behind him.

Karl Des Tourelles raced just yesterday, which means he's very much still in active training and campaigning. At six years old, he's not young, but he's not finished either. Horses can and do find form at this age. The hope for anyone following him will be a return to Gowran Park — the one track where he has shown he can win — and conditions that bring out the best in him. Right now, he's a horse searching for form, but one whose placed record suggests the ability is there somewhere, waiting to show itself again.