GAELIC Warrior’s golden season of 2025/’26 bore the hallmarks of Kauto Star-like versatility, according to Ireland and Britain’s handicapping authorities, who crowned the Cheltenham Gold Cup star as the highest-rated National Hunt horse in training for the campaign just ended.

A mark of 180 for the John Durkan Memorial Chase and runaway Punchestown Gold Cup hero made him the joint-highest rated chaser at the end of a season since the mighty Sprinter Sacre (188), also putting him on a par with 15-length Cheltenham Gold Cup winner of 2022, A Plus Tard, and dual Gold Cup star Galopin Des Champs.