Mount Ruapehu

The horse has been in steady work under trainer Iain Jardine at Carrutherstown, and it won its most recent victory at Southwell back in April — four months ago. Since then, things have quietened down. In its last six races, Mount Ruapehu has not found the winner's enclosure, finishing eighth, fourth, and four sixth-place finishes in succession. Andrew Slattery, who rides the horse most often, has partnered it in 18 races and tasted victory just once, suggesting the pair work better on certain days than others. With 52 races under its belt and 6 wins to show for it alongside 16 places, Mount Ruapehu remains a mid-level performer — the kind of honest, consistent type that turns up race after race without quite reaching the top rung. Still, with that unbeaten record at Southwell and a clear preference for normal ground, there remains a simple formula for success: get this horse back to the one course where it knows exactly what to do.