Kopek Des Bordes

The raw numbers are striking. From just 8 races, he has won 5 and placed in 7 — meaning he has finished in the top positions in almost every single race he has entered. Three of those wins came in his last six races, and jockey Paul Townend has been the man in the saddle for much of it, winning 3 of their 6 races together, or roughly one in every two times they've partnered up. That is an unusually productive relationship.

What comes through clearly from the people who work with him is that this is a horse with an engine and a personality to match. After his win at Navan in November 2024, Townend described a horse who wanted to attack his fences without being reckless — one who figured things out quickly and, once given his head down the home straight, was simply taking over. The jockey added that he needs a little more managing than some, that he's different — the word "different" from a jockey who rides for one of the most powerful yards in the world is worth noting.

Mullins himself, reflecting after a run at Punchestown, spotted something else: Kopek Des Bordes had come out of Cheltenham looking big and burly, physically filling out in a way that suggested a horse still growing into himself. Mullins admitted he may have given him too long a break after that Cheltenham win, and looked ahead to a future over fences — describing him as a chaser in the making. Given that he already won at the top level before his trainer felt he was fully ready, whatever comes next is worth watching. The yard has sent out 230 winners this season alone, and this is one of the horses they are clearly excited about.