What Path

His first win came at Galway in July 2022, and his most recent at Kilbeggan in June 2023 — now 36 months ago. That gap is the elephant in the room. He hasn't won in his last six races, finishing third, third, fifth, and then three runs without a place at all. His recent form figures read 2-–-–-5-3-3, and while the two placings show he's not far off, the blanks in the middle suggest there have been days where things simply haven't clicked.

Still, the bones of something better are clearly there. Paul Townend, one of jump racing's most respected riders, has partnered What Path six times and won twice — a win rate of 33%, or roughly 1 in every 3 rides together. That's a striking return, and the two clearly have a rapport. After one of those wins at Kilbeggan, Townend was effusive: What Path loved the trip, loved the ground, and did it well. He also noted the horse can be a handful in front — "lairy" was his word — but that's often the sign of a horse with a competitive engine, just one that needs managing.

The ground matters enormously. On slightly soft conditions, he's won twice from eight races — 25%, or 1 in every 4 — which is comfortably his best surface. His trainer has been clear on this point too, noting after a run at Cork that the ground that day wouldn't have suited him and that he'd be a better horse when conditions improved. That's not spin — it's the kind of specific observation that, when it comes from someone who knows a horse well, is worth taking seriously.

What Path is not a horse chasing big prizes, but he's a genuine competitor who finds a way to be there or thereabouts more often than his win record suggests. Find him on the right day, in the right conditions, with Townend in the saddle — and there's still something worth watching.