The Clonmel Kid

That solitary win came with Joe Williamson in the saddle, the jockey who rides him most often. Together they have raced 12 times, and that single victory is representative of their partnership: Williamson knows the horse well, but The Clonmel Kid simply does not deliver with any real regularity. His recent form underlines the problem. In his last six runs he has not won once, though he did finish third twice and sixth once — the kind of scattered results that frustrate the yard and punters alike. He raced just a day ago, so he is still active and being campaigned regularly by Philip Kirby's East Appleton yard.

What makes The Clonmel Kid particularly tricky is that he rarely races in the top grades. At Class 4 level — the kind of race that sits firmly in the middle tier of British racing — he has yet to win, going zero from seven attempts. These are races he should theoretically be suited to, yet he has never broken his duck in them. His single career victory came down the track at Newcastle, and he has not won since. That was four months ago. For a horse still racing, and still being given opportunities, the gap since that last success is telling. Philip Kirby's yard has been productive this season with 36 winners, so The Clonmel Kid continues to run in a stable doing its job. But after 15 races at age 7, with just the one win to show for it, he remains what he has always been: a horse with talent enough to frame placings but not quite enough to dominate.