Pinar Del Rio

What makes Pinar Del Rio marginally interesting is the relationship between the horse and its most frequent jockey, Ronan Whelan. In the seven races they have ridden together, Whelan has steered the horse to the winner's enclosure twice, a win rate of roughly 29 per cent — far better than the horse's overall record. That partnership has genuinely worked. Away from that, Alan McIntyre's yard at Clifden, Kilkenny has sent out only three winners all season, which puts Pinar Del Rio's two career victories in some context: this is not a powerhouse training operation, and every win matters. Recent form tells a familiar story. In the last six races, the horse has finished nowhere near the podium, with results of 19th, 21st, 7th, 5th, 10th and 4th. The fourth-place finish most recently shows Pinar Del Rio can still get close, but closing the gap to the finish line remains the puzzle this horse cannot solve.