My Good Pal

The Wexford win is the one bright moment to hold onto. Whether it was the track, the conditions on the day, or simply everything clicking at once, it's worth noting — horses sometimes find a venue that suits them, and if My Good Pal ever lines up at Wexford again, that will be the name to watch on the card.

The partnership with jockey Mr B M Coonan is the most established relationship in the horse's career, the pair having raced together 14 times. That one win from 14 — roughly 1 in every 14 rides — mirrors the overall picture: solid enough, but no fireworks. Behind them both is trainer Gavin Cromwell, whose yard at Navan in Co. Meath has been in excellent form this season, sending out 97 winners. That's a busy, successful operation, and the fact that My Good Pal sits within it suggests the horse is at least being given every chance.

The recent run of form makes for sobering reading — no win in the last 6 races, with finishes of 3rd, 11th, 8th, 5th, 2nd, and a fall or unseating in the most recent outing. The second place is a flicker of hope, but the overall sequence suggests a horse that is running without quite finding its best. Still, My Good Pal raced just one day ago, which means this is very much a horse in active campaigning — Cromwell clearly believes there's more to come, and at seven, it isn't old. Sometimes it just takes one good day, on the right track, in the right company. My Good Pal already knows what winning feels like. The question is whether it can find that feeling again.