High Class Hero

The name attached to this horse matters enormously. Willie Mullins, based at Muine Bheag in County Carlow, is not just any trainer — his yard has sent out 237 winners already this season alone. That is not a typo. When a horse carries the Mullins colours, it arrives with expectation, and High Class Hero has repaid that faith. The combination with jockey Paul Townend is particularly striking: together they have won 5 of their 9 races, which works out at winning more than half the time they partner up. For context, most top jockeys are thrilled with a 20% win rate. Those two together are operating at a completely different level.

That said, there is a question mark hanging over the recent form. High Class Hero has not won in its last 6 races, with a pair of second-place finishes and a third among those efforts. The last victory came at Punchestown on 20 February 2025, now 13 months ago. The placed efforts suggest the talent is still there — this is not a horse that has fallen off a cliff — but the wins have dried up. Whether that is a matter of finding the right opportunity, a slight dip in form, or simply the Mullins team waiting patiently for conditions to suit, only they would know.

First career success came at Listowel back in June 2023, and the horse has built a solid record since. Still only nine and still active — last seen racing just 21 days ago — High Class Hero is very much a horse in the present tense. With that Mullins-Townend engine behind it, you would not bet against the wins starting to flow again.