Temptationinmilan

The two wins are separated by less than five months. The first came at Listowel in September 2022, followed by a second at Navan in February 2023. Since that Navan win, now 42 months ago, the winners' circle has remained out of reach across the last 6 races — with finishes of 14th, a pull-up, 5th, 12th, 7th, and another pull-up making for pretty grim reading. The two non-completions are a concern, suggesting there have been days where things have gone wrong before the finish line even came into view.

Philip Byrnes has been the regular partner in the saddle, riding Temptationinmilan in 16 of those 34 races — nearly half the career total. Between them they have managed 1 win from those 16 outings, which mirrors the overall record almost exactly. It is a working partnership rather than a magical one, but the consistency of the combination at least suggests a trainer who values familiarity over experimentation.

What keeps this horse interesting is simply that it raced just one day ago, meaning it is still out there, still competing at 10 years old. That takes something — horses don't keep turning up at racecourses unless they are well enough to do so, and the team around Temptationinmilan clearly believes there are still days worth having. Whether another win is coming after more than three and a half years without one is another question entirely, but for now, the racing goes on.