Herakles Westwood

The numbers behind his career tell an interesting story. Winning 6 from 24 races — roughly 1 in every 4 — is a solid record, and he has placed in 11 more, meaning he has finished in the money on 17 of 24 occasions. He is rarely out of the picture. What is striking, though, is the gap between his class record and his ambitions. When he competes at the standard level he most often enters — Class 4 — he has won just 1 of 9 races, barely 1 in 9. Step him up to better company, and he raises his game accordingly. That Cheltenham win is the clearest evidence that this horse performs when the occasion demands it.

His partnership with jockey James Bowen is worth highlighting. In 11 races together, Bowen has steered him to 4 wins — a win rate of 36%, or roughly 2 in every 5 races. That is a remarkable return and suggests the two have developed a real understanding. When Bowen is in the saddle, the results speak plainly for themselves.

Herakles Westwood is trained by Warren Greatrex at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, and the yard is in excellent form — 52 winners already this season, which signals a team operating with real confidence. His recent form shows a win and a second place in his last six races, and having raced just 17 days ago, he remains active and in the mix. He first broke his duck at Lingfield Park in November 2023, but it is Cheltenham, three months ago, where he left his mark. Horses who save their best for the big occasion are always worth watching — and Herakles Westwood has already shown he can do exactly that.