Lilannbee

The nine months since that Punchestown victory have been frustrating. In the last six races, Lilannbee has managed only one placed effort—a fourth—while finishing sixth twice and fourth twice more. The horse's recent form chart reads 2-4-4-6-6-1, showing a clear upward trend in the last run that could signal a return to form, or it might simply be a blip in what has become a pattern of inconsistency. Still active and racing just a day ago, Lilannbee remains in the care of S G Carey's yard at Kilcullen in County Kildare, a stable that has produced eight winners this season and clearly believes there is still something to work with.

For the yard keeping faith with this horse, the challenge will be finding the right race—the kind where Lilannbee can replicate the winning effort of that New Year's Eve afternoon. At five years old, time is not infinite, and another long drought could force a reckoning. But the recent second-place finish suggests the horse has not forgotten how to run close.