Westoftignes

His recent form tells a story of inconsistency. In the last six outings, he has produced nothing remotely like a winner, finishing 13th, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 11th. That sole victory four months ago now looks like his peak moment, a hard-fought success that came to fruition at a track where he has run before. The fact that he has not added to that single win since March suggests Westoftignes operates best under specific circumstances—perhaps the track, the ground, or the race conditions at Wexford that day suited him in a way nothing else has managed. His two places show he can frame a respectable run, but the gaps between his best efforts are wide and unpredictable.

Cromwell's yard at Navan has flourished this season with 96 winners, so Westoftignes is being trained by someone with momentum and form. Yet even a top yard cannot turn a modest horse into a star, and Westoftignes appears to be exactly that—a horse trying hard but rarely good enough to finish ahead of the field. He remains in work, racing regularly, which suggests his the yard believe there is more to come. For now, he remains a long shot every time he runs, a horse that works best when punters are not expecting him to win.