That said, there are small signs of improvement nestled in those recent results. The run of 9th place came in the middle of that sequence, and the two 11th and 12th-place finishes indicate the horse is at least staying competitive enough to finish in the middle of the field rather than trailing in. Whether this represents genuine progress or simply normal variation is hard to say with certainty, but a three-year-old that has just raced a day ago is clearly being given plenty of opportunities to learn.
Adrian McGuinness, who trains Thumama Sands at Lusk in County Dublin, has been sending winners to the track regularly this season — his yard has 45 winners already — which means the infrastructure and expertise are there. Whether Thumama Sands has the natural ability to make the grade remains an open question. For now, this is a horse still searching for that first win, still finding its feet in the racing game.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairyhouse Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 8 Jul | 0% |
| Gowran Park Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 25 Jul | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 30 Aug | 0% |
| Limerick Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 19 Jun | 0% |