Asian Master

His first win came at Thurles in December 2023, followed by a second at Navan just a month later in January 2024. Back-to-back wins in the space of a few weeks suggested a horse hitting form at exactly the right time. Since then, though, Asian Master hasn't added to that tally across his last six races — a run of 28 months without a win that could easily make you write him off. But his recent form figures include a second place, and his regular jockey Thomas Costello has won 2 of their 11 races together — roughly 1 in every 5 — which is actually a solid partnership by any measure.

The most intriguing part of this profile comes from what happened at Cheltenham. Costello was emphatic after the race: Asian Master "jumped savage" — high praise in racing circles, meaning the horse was quick, accurate, and confident over the obstacles. Costello suggested that wet, muddy ground may have blunted his speed on the day, which is a crucial detail. A horse that can jump like that on testing ground, but who really comes alive on faster conditions, is worth watching carefully when the sun comes out.

His trainer has been thinking big. Despite Asian Master looking like a stayer on paper — the kind of horse you'd expect to need a longer trip to show his best — the yard is seriously considering whether he might be fast enough to take on the Arkle, one of the most prestigious and demanding chases at the Cheltenham Festival, a race for horses with serious pace. That's not a throwaway ambition; it reflects genuine belief that what Asian Master showed at Cheltenham was just the surface of what he can do. He raced just yesterday, so this horse is very much in the middle of his story — and it sounds like the most exciting chapter may still be ahead.