Pahlavi

The numbers tell a story of steady decline. His recent form reads 4-3-6-5-5-5 across his last six outings, a run that shows him running into gaps but struggling to convert them into victories. It's now 13 months since that sole win at Downpatrick, a long drought for a horse that still races actively — he was out just a day ago. Trainer John Joseph Hanlon keeps him competing, and jockey Paddy Hanlon (likely a relation) has partnered him 11 times, managing just the one win together, a 9% success rate that barely edges above what you'd expect from luck alone.

At nine years old, Pahlavi is in the latter stages of a racing career. With only £74,000 or so earned across 36 races, he has never been quite good enough to crack the higher levels, but his trainer and regular jockey continue to find races where he might get his head in front again. Whether they find that elusive second victory remains to be seen — but for now, he is a horse defined by persistence rather than success, plugging away in hopes of one more moment like that August afternoon at Downpatrick.