Survivors Sister

Her form over the last six races shows the reality of life at this tier. Two ninth-place finishes sit alongside a third, and two no-shows in the record, suggesting either a miss or a race that did not suit her. What stands out, though, is that she keeps turning up. At seven years old, still racing and still being sent out by trainer Paul John Gilligan's yard near Athenry in County Galway, Survivors Sister is the kind of horse that keeps a small racing operation ticking over. Gilligan, who has saddled five winners this season, leans on regular partnerships, and Survivors Sister has raced eight times with jockey Jack G Gilligan, winning once together — a win rate slightly better than her overall record. That working relationship between horse, jockey, and trainer is often where the small edges come from, and if another chance at Limerick or a similar track comes around, there is no reason to think she cannot repeat her one victory.