Mark Loughnane's yard at Rock Farm in Worcestershire has had a decent season, sending out 25 winners, so the trainer is clearly operating a competent operation. But Groundsman's recent form—a sequence reading 9th, 8th, 5th, 8th, 3rd, and 6th, with that last run just a day ago—suggests he is struggling to find his level. When he does contest Class 6 races, where he has won 1 of 7 (14 per cent), he looks more competitive than his overall record implies. The gap between his Class 6 win rate and his 5 per cent win rate across all grades tells you something: he may simply be getting outclassed when pitched into stronger company.
At four years old, Groundsman is still a working horse with time ahead of him. But eleven months without a win is a long drought, and recent form offers little encouragement. He remains active—having raced just yesterday—which means the yard has not given up on him yet. For a horse of his profile, consistency matters more than he has shown so far.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
3 | 1 win, 2 thirds | 27 Dec | 33.3% |
| Chester Tight |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 21 Sep | 0% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
3 | 3 other | 2 Aug | 0% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 3 Jul | 0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
2 | 2 other | 19 May | 0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 1 Aug | 0% |
| Carlisle Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 9 Jun | 0% |
| Redcar Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 20 Jul | 0% |
| chelmsford | 1 | 1 other | 28 Aug | 0% |
| Catterick Bridge Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 8 Jul | 0% |