Lilac Lady

The numbers tell an honest story. One win from 23 races is a 4% win rate — roughly 1 in every 23 outings — and that is a modest record by any measure. But Lilac Lady has been quietly consistent in her own way: six places alongside that single win suggests she has been competitive without quite getting her nose in front. A horse who finishes in the top three or four regularly is earning her keep, even if the winners' prize has been elusive. Her recent form reads 1-4-2-3-11-5, which shows a horse in decent nick, running well more often than not, with only one real clunker in the last six.

What she clearly needs is a test of stamina. Over two miles or further, she has won 1 from 8 races — a 12% win rate, or roughly 1 in every 8 — which is a completely different story to her overall figures. That one-in-eight return over a longer trip puts her among horses genuinely worth following in the right conditions. Her jockey Danny Sheehy has partnered her eight times without a win between them, so it is interesting that when she finally broke through, she delivered. McNiff's yard has sent out five winners this season, suggesting this is a small but functioning operation — not a powerhouse, but not a backwater either.

Sligo is her track. It is a tight, undulating circuit that suits certain horses down to the ground, and Lilac Lady has now shown she can win there. Keep an eye on her when the trip is long and the venue is familiar.