Early career

After running poorly in a race at Baldoyle, Easter Hero was sold by King to JHC Bartholomew, a British owner and trainer who campaigned the young horse extensively but with limited success. As a five-year-old he won a race at Manchester Racecourse and finished unplaced in the Irish Grand National. Bartholomew then sold the horse for £500 to Frank Barbour.^[3]

1927/28 National Hunt season

Alfred Loewenstein, Easter Hero's fourth owner depicted in 1926

In the 1927/28 National Hunt season Easter Hero emerged as a top-class steeplechaser with a series of impressive wins including the Becher Chase at Aintree and a handicap race at Kempton.^[4] His style of racing seldom varied: he took the lead at the start, opened up a big lead and was rarely challenged. In February he was tried over three and a half miles in the Coventry Chase at Kempton and won easily under a weight of 173 pounds.^[3] He looked likely to start favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but was sold before the race to the Belgian financier Alfred Loewenstein who opted to miss the race. It later transpired that Loewenstein had paid £7000 for the gelding, with an agreement to pay an additional £3000 if he won that year's Grand National.^[7]

At Aintree Racecourse on 30 March, Easter Hero, carrying 173 pounds, started the 100/7 fourth favourite in a field of forty-two runners for the 1928 Grand National. He led the field at a strong pace until he reached the Canal Turn where he misjudged the ditch on the take-off side and landed on top of the fence before sliding back into the ditch. With the horse left trapped in the ditch the other runners had to take evasive action, leading to a pile-up which brought the field to a stand-still.^[8] Largely as a result of the incident only two horses completed the course, with the victory going to the 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim. In the summer of 1928 Easter Hero was sent to France and won the Prix des Drags at Auteuil Hippodrome.^[4]

1928/29 National Hunt season

Jock Whitney, Easter Hero's fifth and final owner on the cover of Time (27 March 1933)

Alfred Lowenstein was declared dead after disappearing from an aircraft over the North Sea on 4 July 1928.^[9] His horses were put up for sale and Easter Hero was bought by the American John Hay "Jock" Whitney, in a reported £20,000 deal which also included the Grand Steeplechase de Paris winner Maguelonne.^[10] Whitney sent him to be trained by Jack Anthony, a former champion jockey, at Letcombe Regis. In the early part of the season Easter Hero won four times in hurdle races.^[4] Cold, frosty weather in early 1929 led to most National Hunt meetings being abandoned in February and the Cheltenham Festival was postponed for a week. Anthony reportedly kept Easter Hero fit by cantering him on the beach at Tenby. In the Gold Cup he was ridden by Dick Rees and started the 7/4 favourite in a ten-runner field with his rivals including Koko (winner in 1926 and third in 1928), Grakle (runner-up in 1927) and Brights Boy (third under top weight in the 1927 Grand National). Rees sent him straight into the lead and was thirty lengths clear with a circuit to go. None of his opponents ever threatened to mount a challenge and he won by twenty lengths from Lloydie, with Grakle two lengths back in third place.^[3] The Sporting Life commented "Easter Hero, in cantering away with the Cheltenham Gold Cup yesterday, gave one of the most sparkling exhibitions of clean, quick jumping and resolute galloping ever seen on this particular course".^[4]

In the Grand National Easter Hero carried top weight of 175 pounds and started the 9/1 favourite in a record field of sixty-six runners. As in the previous year he led soon after the start and set a strong pace but on this occasion the obstacles gave him no problems and he held a clear advantage from the fourth fence. At some point after clearing Valentine's Brook on the second circuit however he partially dislodged and twisted a racing plate which hampered his progress from then on.^[11] He was still in front at the second last but was overtaken and beaten six lengths into second place by Gregalach.^[12] After the race the runner-up was given a reception normally accorded to winners as he was mobbed by admirers, some of whom attempted to pull hairs from his tail as souvenirs.^[13] "Augur" writing in the Sporting Life called Easter Hero's run "one of the best performances in the history of the race". He also defended the jockey against criticisms that he had made "too much use" of the favourite, pointing out that the horse was at his best when allowed to race from the front.^[14]

Easter Hero was sent to France in summer and started favourite for the Grand Steeplechase de Paris. He built up his customary big lead but was pulled up by his jockey after sustaining a back injury at the water jump.^[15]

1929/30 National Hunt season

Easter Hero was given a lengthy break before returning for the 1929/30 National Hunt Season. He recorded easy wins in the Penkridge Chase at Wolverhampton in January^[16] and a chase at Leicester in the same month^[17] before attempting to repeat his 1929 success in the Gold Cup. He faced a challenge from Gib, an improving seven-year-old who had been unbeaten in his last seven races^[18] including a decisive victory over Gregalach. Easter Hero, ridden by Tommy Cullinan, started the 8/11 favourite ahead of Gib (ridden by Dick Rees) on 13/8 whilst the only other two runners were Grakle on 10/1 and the 50/1 outsider Danzelon. As usual Easter Hero set off in front and survived alarming errors at the first two fences to open up a clear lead. Danzelon fell early and Grakle was soon struggling, but Gib stayed in contention and steadily reduced the favourite's lead. Easter Hero and Gib came to the second last together, but the younger horse made a bad mistake, unseated Rees, and allowed the favourite to come home unchallenged.^[19] Grakle was twenty lengths away in second whilst Gib was remounted and finished the course to take third place.^[3] Easter Hero sustained a tendon injury in the race and was unable to contest the Grand National, for which he had been the ante-post favourite.^[20]

1930/31 National Hunt season

After an absence of over nine months, Easter Hero returned to win the Wigston Chase at Leicester in December 1930^[21] and then took the Mole Handicap chase at Sandown Park in January, beating the 1927 Champion Hurdler Blaris by eight lengths.^[22] He was aimed at the Grand National and was strongly fancied despite a surprise defeat in the Buckhurst Chase at Lingfield Park Racecourse when he failed by a head to concede 23 pounds to Desert Chief.^[23] He was then denied a chance to complete a hat-trick of Gold Cup wins when the 1931 Cheltenham Festival was abandoned. In the 1931 Grand National he was ridden by Rees and started the 5/1 favourite against forty-one rivals under a weight of 175 pounds. He was going well until Becher's Brook on the second circuit when he fell after being hampered by a loose horse and a falling opponent.^[24] Despite his exertions he turned out for the Champion Chase over two miles seven furlongs on the following day in which he dead-heated with the French horse Coup de Chapeau.^[24] Taking the view that the horse was now past his prime, Whitney opted to retire him.^[2]