AT its best, horseracing can be beautifully nuanced and intricate, as well as the provider of great pleasure. Last Friday week’s Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh delivered a fine example.

The nuance and intricacy were provided by, among other things, the fact that the favourite Siskin might be the best horse in the race but was not a guaranteed stayer, and that connections of his rivals very much knew of this potential weakness. The pleasure materialised when Siskin overcame the significant obstacles in his path to prevail for his popular trainer, jockey and others associated with the colt.