Tea It Is

The recent form makes for interesting reading. In its last six races, Tea It Is has finished third twice, second once, and fourth once — so it has been competitive, just not competitive enough when it matters most. A tenth-place finish in there and a seventh suggest the horse does have its off days, but the cluster of placings points to an animal that turns up and tries. It simply hasn't found that extra gear at the decisive moment.

Now add a five-month absence into the mix. Tea It Is hasn't raced in roughly 168 days, which is a significant break. That can work either way — a fresher horse sometimes returns with renewed energy, or the time off can leave it needing a run or two to find its rhythm. Given that it's never won, the pressure is already there; coming back after five months only adds another layer of uncertainty.

The yard behind the horse is Denis Gerard Hogan, training out of Cloughjordan in County Tipperary, and his operation is clearly in decent shape — 58 winners sent out this season is a serious number for any yard. The regular partner in the saddle is Daniel King, who has ridden Tea It Is six times without a win between them, though it's worth noting the horse hadn't won before their partnership either, so that's more of a shared challenge than a criticism of either.

At eight years old and still hunting a first win from 19 attempts, Tea It Is sits in a curious position. It's not useless — six places prove that — but it hasn't broken through. Returning from a lengthy break, it will need to show it has come back in good order before anyone can confidently expect that elusive first victory to arrive.