The recent form tells a more complicated story. That sequence of 9-6-2-3-8-12 reads like a horse who briefly found something — that second and third place in the middle of the run suggested he might be ready to break through — before fading back into the pack. The last two runs, finishing eighth and twelfth, are the wrong direction entirely, and whatever spark appeared mid-sequence seems to have gone quiet again.
He returns here after a 59-day break, which is long enough to count as a proper rest rather than just a quick freshen-up. Whether that has done him good is the question. Breaks can help a horse reset and come back sharper, or they can simply confirm that the yard has been thinking carefully about where to run him next. James William Hannon's team have had just one winner this season so far, which is modest, and does not suggest a yard currently firing on all cylinders.
At seven, Hakensack is not a young project with time to develop. He is what he is — a horse that has shown he can place, shown he can run respectably, but has not yet found a way to win. If there is a hopeful read on his situation, it is that second place finish hiding in his recent form: proof that he can get close. Whether close ever becomes first is the question that ten races have so far left unanswered.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limerick Galloping |
3 | 1 second, 2 other | 21 May | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 11 Jan | 0% |
| Cork Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 7 Dec | 0% |
| Wexford Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 13 Jul | 0% |
| Gowran Park Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 4 Oct | 0% |
| Thurles Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 29 Jan | 0% |
| Galway Tight |
1 | 1 other | 25 Oct | 0% |