Tawaazon

The bright spot in his profile is his love of wet ground. On mud or heavy going, Tawaazon becomes a different proposition: he has won 2 of his 5 races (40%) when conditions are testing. This is the kind of detail that matters in real terms — it means there are specific days, usually in winter or after heavy rain, when the yard should back him. Dundalk is another story. The all-weather track seems to suit him almost like a home, and he has notched up 4 wins from 18 races there. That 22% win rate at a single course is the sort of record that catches the eye of regular racegoers and suggests the surface or the setup works for his style.

Sean D Bowen has ridden him most often, winning 2 of 11 races together, and John Andrew Kinsella's Rathdrum yard has managed a respectable five winners this season. But the troubling reality is that Tawaazon's winning days seem to be behind him now. Sixteen months without a victory is a long time for any horse, and the recent runs show no sign of a return to form. He is still running — likely because he is durable and pays his way — but he looks like a horse that has given his best and is now filling cards rather than threatening the scoreboard.