Mount Hotham

The recent form tells a familiar story. In the last six outings, Mount Hotham has managed a sixth and a tenth-place finish among efforts that have included runs further back down the field. Most tellingly, there has been no sign of improvement or momentum — just steady, unremarkable performances. A race just a day ago means the horse is actively campaigned, which shows the the yard still believe there is something to work with, but the lack of a win from nine tries is starting to look definitive rather than unlucky.

John Joseph Hanlon's yard at Bagenalstown has had a decent season with eleven winners to their name, so Mount Hotham is not being trained in isolation or neglect. But even a capable trainer cannot make a horse win races it is not equipped to win. At this point, Mount Hotham appears to be a genuine non-winner — the kind of horse that will rack up a decent tally of runs without ever making it to the winner's circle. It is a common enough story in racing, and not necessarily a reflection of poor training or bad luck, simply the reality that not every horse is good enough to break through.