The Short Go

The overall record reads 2 wins and 8 places from 18 races, which works out at roughly 1 win in every 9 — not a horse that wins frequently, but one that has shown enough over the years to keep people interested. Those two wins came at Killarney in May 2023 and then Clonmel four months later, suggesting a horse that found its level and briefly made the most of it. Since then, though, the winning feeling has been elusive. The last six runs have produced nothing better than a third place, and the two most recent efforts — both finishing eleventh — are the kind of results that raise questions about where this horse is headed at nine years old.

When it has stepped up against the very best, the record is a flat zero: three attempts at the top level of racing, three defeats. That is not a disgrace — plenty of horses run at the highest level without winning — but it does paint a picture of a horse that performs within its limits rather than one that surprises you by punching above its weight.

The most interesting thread running through The Short Go's career is its partnership with Rachael Blackmore, one of the most celebrated jockeys in the sport. Together they have won 2 of their 10 races — a win rate of 20%, or roughly 1 in every 5 — which is comfortably the best this horse has looked in its career. Both career victories came with Blackmore in the saddle, which tells you something about how much that combination has mattered. De Bromhead's yard is in strong form this season, having sent out 106 winners, so the operation around this horse is clearly functioning well. Whether The Short Go, last raced just 19 days ago, can find one more win to add to its tally is the open question — but at this stage of its career, time is not exactly on its side.