Mastermind

That sole career win came at Down Royal on 12 April 2026, and it clearly meant something, because Mastermind has been placing consistently ever since. In his last six races he has finished first, second, third, third, and sixth — with only one blank in the mix. For a horse who spent most of his career searching for a breakthrough, that is a remarkable late flourish. At 12, most horses are winding down. Mastermind appears to have found a groove.

The relationship with jockey Dillon Maxwell is one worth watching, though it hasn't clicked yet. Five races together, no wins — but given how well Mastermind has been running recently, that partnership may simply be waiting for the right moment. The horse raced just one day ago, which means he is as fit and active as he has ever been in what is clearly the form spell of his life.

Down Royal has been the scene of his only triumph, and it is worth asking whether that track simply suits him in a way others don't. One win does not make a pattern, but combined with his broader upturn in form, it suggests a horse who has finally found some confidence — and at 12, that is genuinely against the odds.