Western Soldier

Trained by Seamus Mullins at his yard in Wilsford-Cum-Lake in Wiltshire, Western Soldier opened his account at Plumpton in October 2023 and most recently won at Wincanton in November 2025. That Wincanton win came in a military hurdle race — a specialist category for horses ridden by serving or former armed forces personnel — and his form in those races is where the real interest lies. Next time out, also at Wincanton, he finished second in another military hurdle. By Mullins' own account, he probably should have won that day too.

The plan from the yard is a clear and deliberate one: a military hurdle at Sandown on 6 February, followed by a race at the Grand Military meeting on the Friday before Cheltenham. These are niche, prestigious occasions on the calendar, and Western Soldier looks tailor-made for them. He has done his best racing at distances between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, winning 2 from 7 races at those trips — a win rate of 29%, which is dramatically better than his overall figure and tells you this is a horse who rewards patient placement rather than volume.

One firm condition from the trainer: he will not run if the ground is wet or muddy. Western Soldier got bogged down in those conditions at Wincanton last week and clearly hated it. On normal or fast, dry ground, he's a different proposition. With the right surface and the right race, this is a horse whose recent form — finishing fifth and fourth in his last completed runs — understates what he may be capable of in his chosen sphere.