Mount Shenshan

Since that Clonmel win, Mount Shenshan has run six more times without adding to his tally. His recent form figures — two fourth-place finishes, a third, and a fifth — suggest a horse that is competitive enough to be placed but hasn't been able to push through to the front. There are also two blank runs in that sequence, races where he finished outside the placings entirely. It is the profile of a horse that keeps showing up, keeps trying, but keeps falling just short.

The partnership with jockey Danny Mullins is notable for all the wrong reasons. The two have raced together ten times without a single win between them — a 0% win rate from a significant number of outings. That said, Mullins is clearly the yard's go-to rider for this horse, so there is an element of trust in the relationship even if the results haven't followed. Thomas Mullins, training from Goresbridge in Co Kilkenny, has sent out two winners this season. It's a modest return, and Mount Shenshan hasn't been among them.

What keeps the story interesting is that Mount Shenshan raced just one day ago, meaning he is very much an active campaigner. At eight, he is not a young horse with time on his side, but he is clearly sound and in regular work. His the yard clearly believe there is another day out there for him. Whether Clonmel holds some kind of magic for this horse — his one and only career win came there — remains to be seen, but a return to that track might be worth watching if it comes around again.