Patty O'Farrell

The record reads one win and four placed finishes from 13 races, which works out at roughly 1 in every 13 trips to the track ending in victory. That is a modest return, but the four places show this is not a horse that simply trails home at the back — there have been moments of genuine competitiveness along the way. The recent form, however, tells a harder story. In the last six races, the best finish has been a second place, and the last five have produced nothing better than sixth. That kind of sequence suggests the Listowel win may have been a high-water mark rather than a turning point.

Sean O'Keeffe has been the regular partner, riding Patty O'Farrell in 11 of those 13 races and sharing that one win. One win from 11 rides together is a modest partnership by any measure, but the consistency of the booking at least suggests the team at Peter Maher's yard in Donore, Co Kildare, have faith in the combination. Maher himself has sent out just one winner this season, so this is a small, unshowy operation — not a powerhouse stable firing in winners every week, but one that keeps its horses busy and competitive.

What is worth noting is that Patty O'Farrell raced just yesterday, which means this is a horse in active work and clearly sound enough to keep campaigning at eight. Longevity at this level is its own kind of achievement. The Listowel win will have meant a great deal to a yard of this size, and with that confidence in the bank, there is every reason to keep watching.