Baltinglass Hill

The partnership with jockey Tiernan Power Roche has not helped crack the code. The two have raced together 11 times without a win, which is a long run of near-misses for any combination. That said, the recent form does show some signs of life — a third-place finish in one of the last six races suggests Baltinglass Hill is still competitive enough to trouble the leaders on its day, even if converting that into a victory has proved elusive.

Where the horse does look genuinely interesting is over longer distances. At a mile and six furlongs to two miles, Baltinglass Hill has won 1 from 3 races — that's a 33% win rate, or roughly one in every three tries. That is a dramatically different picture from the overall record, and it suggests that getting the trip right is the key to unlocking whatever this horse has left. The sole career win, at Roscommon, came on that kind of test, which is worth remembering next time the yard send it out at the right distance.

P J Rothwell's yard in Tinahely, Co Wicklow has been in good form this season — 35 winners is a healthy total and shows the team knows how to get a horse ready to win. The fact that Baltinglass Hill raced just one day ago confirms it is fit and active, and Rothwell clearly still believes there is something to work with. Whether a second career win comes before this horse's story is told is the open question — but at the right distance, on the right day, it is not quite as far-fetched as the overall record might suggest.