Look at the last six runs in reverse order and you can actually see something taking shape. After finishing tenth and then fourth, O Fortuna went backwards for a spell — ninth, then fourteenth — before bouncing back to fifth and then third in its most recent outing, which came just yesterday. That third place, the best finish of its career so far, at least suggests the horse is running into a bit of form at the right time. Whether it can convert that into an actual win remains the question.
What is not in doubt is the quality of the operation behind it. Tim Easterby's yard at Great Habton in North Yorkshire is one of the most productive in the north of England, and this season that productivity has been measured in 128 winners — a remarkable volume that puts the yard among the busiest and most effective in the country. When a trainer is winning at that kind of rate, it means they understand their horses, know where to place them, and tend to have a plan. O Fortuna has not delivered yet, but it is not being prepared by people who are guessing.
The honest summary is this: O Fortuna is a horse still searching for its moment. It has shown enough — particularly that third-place finish yesterday — to suggest it is not without ability, but eight races without a win is a test of patience for anyone following it. The next few weeks will be telling.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redcar Galloping |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 19 Jun | 0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 20 Apr | 0% |
| Beverley Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 4 May | 0% |
| Nottingham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 9 May | 0% |
| Catterick Bridge Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 8 Apr | 0% |