So Must I

The Dundalk win is worth noting because it is an indoor, all-weather track in Ireland that runs year-round, and it suits horses that are sharp and consistent rather than flashy. Breaking a losing run there suggests So Must I had figured something out — whether that was the track itself, the distance, or simply the confidence that comes with experience. After four races, it now sits at one win and one place from four attempts, meaning it has shown up in some form in half its races so far.

The yard behind it gives real cause for optimism. Joseph Patrick O'Brien, based at Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, has sent out 155 winners already this season — that is a serious operation with serious horses, and a three-year-old being given patient, steady development in that environment is in good hands. O'Brien is one of the leading young trainers in Ireland, and his team tends to know when a horse is ready and when it needs time. The 37-day break since that Dundalk victory fits that patient approach — no rushing, just letting the win settle and the horse mature a little before the next step.

At this stage, So Must I is a horse to watch rather than one to make grand claims about. But a four-race career that ends with a win, trained by one of Ireland's most productive yards, is a decent foundation to build from.