Storm Heart

What sets Storm Heart apart is how well it performs when the weather turns ugly. On wet, muddy ground, it has won 2 of its 3 races — that is a two-in-three success rate that very few horses can match in those conditions. Paul Townend, who has ridden it in 5 of its 10 races, described the most recent win at Limerick in December as a performance likely to sit "a good few pounds below" the horse's actual peak — meaning Storm Heart won while arguably not even being at its best. That is the kind of comment that makes a racing fan take notice.

Mullins himself has been candid about Storm Heart's story. The horse ran an enormous race at the prestigious Dublin Racing Festival, finishing second in a highly competitive event, but then missed the Cheltenham Festival with a small setback — one of those frustrating interruptions that can derail a season at just the wrong moment. Mullins has said clearly that he believes Storm Heart is talented and that a clear run — no interruptions, no setbacks — is the main thing standing between this horse and bigger occasions. Given that Mullins' yard has already sent out 220 winners this season alone, that is not a trainer prone to overstatement.

The most recent form makes for interesting reading too: finishing fifth and seventh before rattling off a third, another third, a win, and a second across the last six races. That is a horse that found form and has largely held it. Storm Heart raced just a day ago and remains very much an active, in-form contender. With wet ground in the forecast and a trainer who clearly has big plans, this is one worth following.