Those placings do at least show Montmartin is competitive. Its recent form includes a second and two thirds, which suggests the ability is there — the horse simply has not found a way to get its nose in front when it matters. At Class 5, the lowest tier of British racing, it is competing against horses that are genuinely beatable. Winning 0 from 3 at that level is the kind of record that raises questions about whether something is always going slightly wrong — tactics, timing, or just a horse that finds a way to be almost good enough.
Jonjo O'Neill Jr has been in the saddle for 6 of those 8 races together, and the partnership has yet to click in the way the yard would hope. That said, the stable itself is in fine form — Jonjo & A J O'Neill's yard at Cheltenham has sent out 51 winners this season, which tells you this is a professional, well-resourced operation that clearly knows how to get horses winning. Montmartin, for now, remains the exception rather than the rule.
The horse raced just one day ago, so it is firmly in the thick of its campaign. Whether another run comes quickly or the team decides to regroup, the question for Montmartin at eight years old is becoming a pressing one: if the first win hasn't come yet, when does it come?
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ffos Las Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 12 Apr | 0% |
| Wincanton Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 2 Feb | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 28 Apr | 0% |
| Wetherby Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 31 Mar | 0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 19 Jan | 0% |
| Chepstow Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 26 Mar | 0% |