Goldinthemountains

That one win came at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day 2023, which is one of the most atmospheric days in the Irish racing calendar. Getting it done on a big occasion at a prestigious track is a mark in the horse's favour — plenty of horses never win anywhere that good. The problem is that was 28 months ago, and the recent form makes for sobering reading: since that career highlight, Goldinthemountains has finished fifth, then missed a race entirely, then come home ninth, sixth, and third. The direction of travel has not been encouraging, though that third-place finish at least suggests there is still something to work with.

Martin Brassil trains the horse from his yard in Dunmurray, County Kildare, and his team have been in decent nick this season with 10 winners already on the board. Brassil is a patient, experienced handler, and the fact that he has kept Goldinthemountains in training as a seven-year-old — with a race just yesterday — suggests he still believes there is a performance in there worth waiting for. Sometimes it just takes the right day and the right conditions to unlock a horse that has been threatening without delivering. Whether Goldinthemountains can find that day again is the question worth watching.