Hascoeur Clermont

The most recent victory came at Cheltenham in November 2023, and it was the kind of result that sticks. Cromwell had spotted the opportunity: a favourable weight, wet ground that suited the horse perfectly, and a race for amateur jockeys that brought the competition down a notch. Hascoeur Clermont was characteristically keen early, but once he got to the front he settled, jumped cleanly, and did the job. Cromwell was openly delighted, though even in the moment admitted he wasn't sure what came next. That mixture of relief and uncertainty tells you something — this horse gives you moments, but it doesn't make planning easy.

That Cheltenham win was now more than 30 months ago, and the recent form is a concern. In his last six races, his finishing positions read 6-7-7-12-12-9 — consistently mid-pack or worse, and no win in sight. The trainer has been honest about it: Hascoeur Clermont is up and down in form and may no longer be competing at the right level to win easily. When a trainer volunteers that a horse "probably isn't well handicapped", it usually means the weights have caught up with past successes and victories are harder to come by than they once were.

And yet Cromwell hasn't given up on him. He raced just a day ago, is still active at nine years old, and there's been talk of a return to Cheltenham — possibly in December — to take another crack at the kind of race where he's already proved he belongs. His most regular partner is Keith Donoghue, who has ridden him in 7 races for 1 win together, a win rate of about 1 in 7. That's modest, but Donoghue knows the horse and that familiarity counts for something.

Hascoeur Clermont is the kind of horse that keeps his trainer honest and his followers patient. He's not flashy, and he doesn't win regularly — but he has form at one of jumping's most famous tracks, and Cromwell clearly believes there's at least one more good day left in him.