Peppers Corner

The most recent run, just yesterday, brought a tenth-place finish, which at least represents a modest improvement on those double-figure finishes in the middle of the sequence. Whether that counts as progress is a matter of perspective — tenth is still a long way from the winner's enclosure, but it is at least a sign of life after three consecutive finishes outside the top ten.

Peppers Corner is trained by Edward F Power, based at Ballycahill in Thurles, a yard that has sent out five winners this season. That tells you the operation is capable of getting horses to the track in winning form, which makes Peppers Corner's record feel more like a puzzle than a reflection of the trainer's ability. Sometimes a horse simply takes time to find its feet, and with Power's yard clearly firing on at least some cylinders, it would be unwise to write this one off entirely — but on the evidence available, patience is about the only thing Peppers Corner has asked of everyone around it.