Sunrush

The real breakthrough came four weeks ago at Navan on 27 August, when Sunrush recorded its first career win. What makes that victory particularly significant is that it came over a distance of around two miles — the sweet spot for this horse. Over races at that trip or slightly shorter, Sunrush has won 1 from 3 outings, a win rate of roughly one in three. That's a sharp contrast to performances at shorter distances, where the horse has yet to win. For a 3-year-old still learning its trade, finding a distance where it clearly excels is half the battle.

Trainer A. Slattery, based at Thurles in County Tipperary, oversees a yard that has sent out 62 winners this season — a healthy operation that knows how to get horses to the track in winning form. Sunrush's recent placement finishes suggest the horse is holding its own in competitive races, and with the Navan win fresh in the memory, there is genuine reason to think better things lie ahead, particularly if Slattery continues to pitch the horse at races where it can settle into that two-mile zone.