What complicates the picture is his recent form. In his last six races, Houndhill has finished 9th, 3rd, 4th, 1st, 8th and 11th — a jagged line that shows the horse can still find the winner's enclosure but is far from reliable. With only two wins from fifteen races overall, he is winning roughly one in every seven or eight starts, which is modest. The one jockey most associated with him is Rowan Scott, who has ridden him five times and won once together, a 20 percent win rate that is slightly better than his overall record but hardly transformative.
A significant factor emerged earlier this year when the horse chipped his tibia and missed the summer, disrupting his development and race schedule. Tinkler's plan is to bring Houndhill back gradually on the all-weather tracks in November as part of his rehabilitation. At Class 5 level, where the quality jumps noticeably, he has won none of his four starts, suggesting he may be reaching the ceiling of his ability. Newcastle remains his playground and his future may depend on whether the yard can find him more opportunities at that track, or whether he can prove the quality improvement the trainer hopes the break has brought him.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Galloping |
5 | 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third, 1 other | 31 Jul | 40% |
| Redcar Galloping |
5 | 2 thirds, 3 other | 16 Oct | 0% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 16 Jul | 0% |
| York Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 12 Jun | 0% |
| Beverley Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 4 May | 0% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 25 Apr | 0% |