Poppycon

The recent form is instructive. In the last six races, going back roughly two months, Poppycon has finished tenth, second, fourth, second, and eighth — with one unfinished race in between. The two second-place finishes suggest it gets close to the line but doesn't quite have the finishing kick. Then the recent run, just a day ago, was a tenth-place effort. That's the pattern: flashes of promise (those places) bookended by races where it simply isn't competitive. Eoin Doyle's yard at Mooncoin, in County Kilkenny, has sent out just two winners all season, which is worth noting — the trainer isn't exactly saddling up the stars.

Phillip Enright has been Poppycon's regular rider, taking the mount five times, but those five rides have yielded nothing — no wins, no places either. The partnership hasn't clicked. At six years old, Poppycon should be reaching its prime, or at least settled into a racing life that works. Instead, this horse looks like one of those honest runners who will race for years without quite getting the job done.