Willie Mullins snaps up ‘one of the most talented jockeys around' for £115,000 Royal Ascot rides
WILLIE MULLINS has snapped up 'one of the most talented jockeys around' for two blockbuster Royal Ascot rides worth £115,000.
The ink is still drying on Colin Keane's mega new contract with racing titans Juddmonte.
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But the six-time Irish Champion Flat jockey is set to ditch the famous pink, white and green silks for two Mullins runners on day one of the Royal meeting.
Mullins has entered a small army for the Ascot Stakes over 2m4f and the Copper Horse Handicap over 1m6f on Tuesday.
He won the first race three times in four years from 2015 but has been unsuccessful since.
While the Closutton boss claimed the Copper Horse the past two years - with Vauban bolting up before Belloccio last year.
Victory in both races is worth £115,000 combined this year, so it's a serious money-spinner.
In Wednesday's entry stage, Keane was down to ride the HOS Syndicate-owned Too Bossy For Us in the Ascot Stakes.
While he was also provisionally down to ride Pappano - owned by the same connections - in the Copper Horse.
Mullins had also moved to secure the services of Godolphin's No1 rider William Buick.
Charlie Appleby's main man gets the leg up on freak 100-1 Triumph Hurdle winner Poniros in the Ascot Stakes.
While Buick will look to make it back-to-back in the Copper Horse after he was pencilled in to ride £265,000 purchase Charlus.
Keane, who steered Field Of Gold to Irish 1,000 Guineas success after he was beaten at Newmarket, signed his new Juddmonte contract on Monday.
The firm's chief executive, Douglas Erskine Crum, said in a statement: "In the past we have had retained jockey relationships (including with Pat Eddery, Richard Hughes and James Doyle) but in recent years we have preferred to work with the many talented jockeys retained by our various trainers around the world.
"We have decided that the time has now come to revert to the security and consistency which comes from having a single jockey retainer relationship.
"We are delighted that Colin Keane has committed himself to Juddmonte.
"He is one of the most exciting and talented riders of his generation, he shares Juddmonte's values, we know him well and we warmly welcome him to the Juddmonte team."
Mullins has been busy giving plenty of big rides to up-and-coming stars at his Irish base.
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