Shosholoza

The horse's recent form tells a story of inconsistency. His last five runs read 14-6-6-8-1, meaning he was beaten heavily on his most recent outing just a day ago, but before that he had strung together a couple of respectable placings. For a young horse trained by one of Ireland's sharpest yards—O'Brien's Owning Hill operation sent out 160 winners already this season—this kind of hit-and-miss record suggests Shosholoza is still figuring out what suits him. The plan was to ease him back in gently at Leopardstown after his long absence, but that race didn't play to his strengths at all. O'Brien's next idea is to give him a positive, forcing ride in the Gallinule, a Group 3 race at the Curragh, taking a step up in class as a way of playing to his strengths rather than his weaknesses. It's a bold move, but it hints that the yard believe there is something worth finding in this horse if they can get the conditions and tactics right. At three years old, he still has time to prove them right.