Dedicated Hero

The most striking thing about this horse is what he does at Kelso. Four wins from six races at the same track is the kind of record that makes trainers plan their whole season around a venue. It's not a fluke — it's a pattern. His career started there in February 2024, he won a Class 2 there in May, and jockey Ryan Mania has spoken about him pulling out wins even when things go wrong mid-race. That's the mark of a horse that keeps finding something when it matters. His most recent win came at Ayr just this week, so the momentum is firmly building.

Then there's Haydock in January 2025 — a Class 1 win, which means one of the very best races in the country. Trainer Sandy Thomson was candid that two miles was probably too short for him, yet he won over that trip twice in a row. At Haydock he got into trouble in the race, had to fight his way through, and still outran the field. Thomson called it gutsy, and it's hard to disagree — horses that win despite things going against them mid-race tend to be the ones worth following.

The partnership with jockey Ryan Mania is worth noting too. Together they've won 4 of their 7 races — that's winning 57% of the time they team up, which is an extraordinary ratio. Mania has been refreshingly honest about this horse, admitting he's tried to do everything wrong and Dedicated Hero has won anyway. When a jockey says that, it tells you something real about a horse's ability.

Thomson's yard at Lambden in Berwickshire has already sent out 18 winners this season, so this is a team operating in confident form. With a Listed race at Kelso — a track Dedicated Hero essentially owns — reportedly on the agenda, and Aintree mentioned as a possible target beyond that, this is a horse whose best days may still be ahead of him.