Wemightakedlongway

Joseph Patrick O'Brien, the Kilkenny-based trainer, has been campaigning her with clear ambition. She has sent her out against top-class fields and even matched her against colts in recent months—a sign she believes she belongs in serious races. Her stable is among Ireland's most prolific this season, with 160 winners to their name. The partnership between Wemightakedlongway and her regular rider Dylan Browne McMonagle has been fruitful: together they have won twice from eight races, a 25% win rate that is considerably better than her overall record. When conditions and the race setup align, there is a faster version of this mare somewhere in there.

The clue to unlocking her lies in distance and ground. She performs best over 1m1f to 1m2f, winning one of four races at that range—a quarter win rate that stands out against her patchy record elsewhere. Softer ground also seems to suit her better. O'Brien's stated ambition is to win a Group 1 race, with the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh identified as a key target. For now, though, she remains a horse with genuine ability but still searching for the consistency to fulfill it. At four years old, time is neither for nor against her, but another winning run would go some way to silencing the questions about whether she has peaked.