High Class Hero

The horse is trained by Willie Mullins, arguably the most successful jumping trainer in the world, operating out of a yard in Muine Bheag, Co Carlow that has sent out 220 winners already this season alone. When Mullins talks up a horse, people listen — and he has been doing exactly that. He has described High Class Hero as a horse who gets better the further he goes, a stamina specialist who finished third in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, one of the top races in Britain. More pointedly, Mullins has said the Grand National — the most famous horse race on the planet, run over more than four miles of fences at Aintree — is what he has in mind for the horse this season. That is not a throwaway comment from a trainer of his calibre.

High Class Hero's most trusted partner in the saddle is Paul Townend, champion jockey and Mullins' number one rider, who has won 5 of the 9 races they have tackled together — a remarkable win rate of 56%, more than 1 in every 2. When that combination lines up, the record speaks for itself.

The horse last won at Punchestown in February 2025, handling very wet, testing ground with ease. Mullins noted afterwards that he "did it nicely" and mentioned the prestigious Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham as a possible target — a top-level race that would confirm High Class Hero belongs at the very highest level. He has not won in his last 6 races, which will focus minds going into the new campaign, but with a Grand National entry being openly discussed and a trainer who sends out winners at industrial scale, this is a horse with a clear and compelling road ahead of him.