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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

High Class Hero going the right way for Mullins

Sat 23rd Sep 2023, 14:44

High Class Hero and Paul Townend negotiate the lastHigh Class Hero and Paul Townend negotiate the last
© Photo Healy Racing

High Class Hero saw his price for the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival contract after making it two from two over flights when landing the Allman Contracts Novice Hurdle in Listowel.

This looked a more than decent two and a-half mile novice hurdle but High Class Hero was very strong at the business end.

A good jump two out saw him begin to extend away from his five rivals and he moved clear for Paul Townend at the last.

He bounded in by five and a-half lengths to reward plenty of support from 6/5 to 8/11f. Sequestered grabbed second at 33/1.

Willie Mullins said: “That was a nice performance. It looked like he’ll stay further and he handled the ground.

"He could be a nice prospect as a winter horse and he’ll go the two and a half mile or three-mile route over hurdles.

“Whatever he does over hurdles I’d expect him to be better over fences.”

Paddy Power cut High Class Hero from 33/1 to 20/1 for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.