logo
Willie Mullins targeting big domestic finale at Punchestown with British title under his belt

Willie Mullins targeting big domestic finale at Punchestown with British title under his belt

Irish Times27-04-2025

Willie Mullins
is 11-8 favourite to be British champion trainer again next year, although pointing that out to him might provoke a blunt response.
Amid the triumph of a second successive cross-channel championship at Sandown on Saturday the Irishman admitted to a sense of relief at it all being over.
As expected, jump racing's dominant figure timed his challenge to perfection by overhauling the luckless Dan Skelton on the final day to ultimately land the title by £199,508 (nearly €232,000).
Mullins ended the cross-channel season with prize money of £3,570,991 – over €4.1 million.
READ MORE
Valuable victories for Gaelic Warrior and Il Etait Temps swung the verdict in Mullins's direction before his horses finished second, third, fourth and fifth in the bet365 Gold Cup, won by Resplendent Grey.
Just to seal the point, his runner Jump Allen beat a Skelton favourite in the concluding handicap hurdle.
'See you next year – same time, same place!' a gracious Skelton said in congratulations to Mullins who emulated the legendary Vincent O'Brien who also won the British title back-to-back 70 years ago.
A campaign highlighted by his son Patrick landing the Aintree Grand National on Nick Rockett will continue at home this week with the five-day Punchestown festival, although Mullins was clearly relieved to have put the British championship to bed.
Dan Skelton congratulates Willie Mullins at Sandown on Saturday. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire for The Jockey Club
'I haven't read a paper for the last four days as there was so much stuff going on and I couldn't look at the TV or read any of the racing papers. I tried to keep away from it all or you couldn't get through it and I'm sure Dan was the same.
'It's a very public place and it's been great publicity for the sport rather than great for the protagonists. It's been tough mentally, but I'm sure it's tougher today for Dan than me,' he said.
'I'm very happy to have won it for a second time but it was probably sweeter to win it first time. But the horses have had to run out of their skin, and they have been since Christmas. Thankfully we've been in form at the right time. I won't be making any predictions about next year!' he added.
Paddy Power aren't so hesitant and make the Irishman an 11-8 favourite to complete a hat-trick in 2026. Skelton is a 7-4 next best.
Mullins will pick up a 19th Irish title when the domestic season concludes at Punchestown on Saturday with over €4.4 million already in the bag and almost sure to expand considerably this week.
Over €3.5 million in prize money is available over the 40 races up for grabs, which include a dozen Grade One contests.
In 2021 Mullins saddled the winners of 19 festival races and last year wound up Punchestown with a record 39 top-flight successes that season. He ended the 2023-24 Irish season with just over €7 million in prize money.
He has made 17 declarations for Tuesday's opening day festival action including Fact To File who will take on the two-mile title holder Marine Nationale in the featured €300,000 William Hill Champion Chase.
The exciting Cheltenham Festival winner Kopek Des Bordes will have a handful of opponents, including a trio of stable companions, in the KPMG Champion Hurdle. Champion jockey-elect Paul Townend has opted for Ballyburn rather four other Mullins runners in the Dooley Insurance Champion Novice Chase.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hopes of significant UK funding allocation for Casement Park
Hopes of significant UK funding allocation for Casement Park

RTÉ News​

time2 hours ago

  • RTÉ News​

Hopes of significant UK funding allocation for Casement Park

The UK's Chanceller of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is to set out her spending review in the House of Commons later today. Many are hoping that a significant allocation towards the construction of Casement Park in west Belfast will be included. The stadium, the home of Antrim GAA, has been derelict for over a decade. It is estimated that the project will cost £260 million (€296.9 million), less than half of which is already in place. The Irish Government has pledged around £43 million (€51 million), the Stormont Executive £62.5 million (€74.2 million) and the GAA £15 million (€17.8 million). A shortfall of £140 million remains. It was hoped that the stadium could have been redeveloped for Euro 2028 but this did not come to pass. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said afterwards that he wanted an "alternative proposition". Many, including in the GAA, are quietly hopeful that a significant sum will be provided later today. However, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is facing huge spending demands from across Whitehall. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, has been among cabinet members pushing for increased funding for his department, including money for Casement Park. However, Mr Benn has previously stated too that the UK government cannot plug the full £140 million gap. The Stormont Executive committed to redeveloping Casement Park in 2011 as part of a strategy to revamp football's Windsor Park and the rugby ground at Ravenhill. While the two other Belfast-based projects went ahead, the redevelopment of Casement was delayed. Intense lobbying efforts have been underway in recent times, with Ulster GAA visiting Westminster last week, to press politicians on the need to include a significant allocation in today's spending review. Last week Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill also called on the British government to provide substantial funding to help rebuild Casement Park. Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated last September that he would not rule out further money being provided by the Irish Government. The 34,500 capacity stadium has planning permission until July 2026 so it is hoped construction can start before then. This afternoon's Spending Review will be a pivotal moment for the UK government, as it maps out its day-to-day spending and investment plans for much of the remainder of the parliament. Defence, health and infrastructure are likely to be prioritised, in what is otherwise a constrained spending package.

'We are not happy with this performance' - Hallgrimsson concerned by Ireland's inconsistency
'We are not happy with this performance' - Hallgrimsson concerned by Ireland's inconsistency

The 42

time2 hours ago

  • The 42

'We are not happy with this performance' - Hallgrimsson concerned by Ireland's inconsistency

HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON DID not sugar-coat Ireland's performance after they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Luxembourg, saying his side did not match the effort they put in against Senegal in Dublin last Friday. 'Let's be honest, we are not happy with this performance', the Irish manager told RTE. 'It's good to keep a clean sheet but we felt first half we were sloppy, the game was boring, all the good things we did against Senegal was missing: all the quick movements, the press, the ball speed. 'In the second half we had more tempo, we won more duels, but it was not good enough. We like getting answers to questions but this was a negative one.' Advertisement Ireland will begin World Cup qualifying in September with a home game against second seeds Hungary before travelling to play bottom-ranked Armenia, and Hallgrimsson put the difference in Ireland's performance levels in that context. 'This is something we must learn from, we must play the same way against everyone, whether it's a friendly at the end of the season or a group stage game, we need to play the same way all the time. 'This can teach us a lesson. It is understandable players are thinking, 'after this game we have a break for a long time', and there were a few injuries from fatigue, and maybe they were a little bit careful as they don't want to be injured at the end of the season. 'Even if we had won the game we would not have been happy with the performance.' Asked by RTÉ to acknowledge the positives, including debutant goalkeeper Max O'Leary's clean sheet, Hallgrimsson quickly veered back to the negative side. 'We can always find something positive and we will do that, first and foremost, the effort we put into this game was so much less than against Senegal.' Midfielder Jason Knight said there was much for Ireland to improve. 'Obviously it wasn't the most comprehensive performance by any means', said Knight. 'Loads to work on out there. But a lot of change, a lot of new lads into the squad. I think there's definitely things to improve, definitely from tonight. But overall a decent camp and now everyone's looking forward to September. 'We had the chances. And we limited them to very few. Obviously on another day we probably scored two or three, but that's what we've got to improve. But like I say, loads to improve on, but loads of good stuff as well.'

Ireland round out the season with dreary draw away to Luxembourg
Ireland round out the season with dreary draw away to Luxembourg

The 42

time2 hours ago

  • The 42

Ireland round out the season with dreary draw away to Luxembourg

Luxembourg 0 Republic of Ireland 0 THIS BORE, END-OF-SEASON draw was just about the most passive mutual offering from Ireland and Luxembourg since they designed their respective tax regimes. Acknowledging that June friendlies are hardly havens for confidence or rich feeling, Ireland were desperately poor in the first-half, with their passing ragged and their energy levels low. They were much better after half-time, though, and were unfortunate not to grab a late winner when substitute Jack Taylor smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar. They ultimately had to settle for a goalless draw, one which extends their unbeaten run to four games and does not seriously check their momentum going into September's World Cup qualifying campaign. Ireland, though, will have to play much better than this if they are to take enough points from the opening games against Hungary and Armenia to maintain an active interest in qualifying through to the final games in November. Heimir Hallgrimsson decided to reward the oft-travelling, rarely-seen Max O'Leary with a first Irish start, giving Caoimhín Kelleher a break. Jake O'Brien replaced Matt Doherty at right-back with Killian Phillips making his full senior debut in midfield, with Ryan Manning benched. Evan Ferguson – whose sharpness in training had impressed his manager – earned a start having come close to doing so on Friday, while Troy Parrott returned to lead the line. Ireland's shape was that to which we have become accustomed: a 4-4-2 without the ball that morphed into a fancier, 3-4-2-1 with the ball. Phillips dropped into deep midfield alongside Jason Knight with Will Smallbone freed up to play further forward. Among Ireland's first-half problems: their evolving formation got stuck in its larval, two-banks-of-four phase, such was Luxembourg's dominance of the ball. O'Leary was sharp to dive to his left to push Danel Sinani's long-range shot around the post, a move whose genesis was a clumsy lay-off by Ferguson to Phillips. Advertisement Hallgrimsson, growing increasingly frustrated, swapped Phillips and Smallbone's positions. That move was tantamount to tinkering around a crash site. Ireland's passing was awful, with players remonstrating with one another as moves continually broke down. An ugly problem from Ireland's last few years also reared its head, with Knight, Phillips and Smallbone looking rushed and uncomfortable when they were pressed in midfield by their opposite number. Troy Parrott contributed Ireland's best moment from open play shortly before half-time, when he controlled the ball and spun away from his aggressive marker, Eldin Džogović, who responded by kicking him in the calf. It was a rare moment of conviction from any Irish player. Smallbone floated the resultant free-kick to Dara O'Shea at the back post, whose square header was met by Nathan Collins, who stooped and headed the ball against the post. Ireland mercifully improved after half-time. Kasey McAteer hinted at the severity of the half-time message by quickly closing down and opponent to rob possession and then pull a left-footed shot wide of the far post. McAteer should have remained so single-minded a few minutes later, but rather than go for goal himself, he instead directed a free header from Ryan Manning's terrific deep cross back across goal for Parrott, who handled the ball amid a miscued effort to try and force the ball over the line. Jack Taylor and Festy Ebosele were sprung from the bench within 10 minutes of the restart and both combined for another chance, only for Taylor to pull a shot wide having been smartly picked out by Ebosele on the edge of the box. Ireland finally managed an effort on target shortly after, as Parrott ran in behind to collect McAteer's pass before lifting the ball delightfully over the onrushing goalkeeper. Parrott, alas, was too eager in making his run and had strayed offside. McAteer, now shifted to an inside-left role as opposed to standing out on the right wing, grew far more influential, but was also guilty of over-enthusiasm in taking an over-the-shoulder volley too early having been picked out by a ball over the top. His shot was tame and easy for Luxembourg's teenage goalkeeper. But alas as many of the Irish players improved around him, Evan Ferguson visibly waned; his lack of match minutes across the season becoming painfully evident. He was caught too often on his heels, most gallingly when Dara O'Shea played a risky pass through midfield that was intended for Ferguson, but intercepted by the much more alert Tomas Moreira, whom Ferguson pursued and then fouled. He was booked, and eventually withdrawn for Adam Idah with 15 minutes remaining. Taylor came agonisingly close to winning the game as the clock ticked out. First Parrott wriggled brilliantly along the endline to pull the ball back for Idah, whose heavy touch ended with the ball running out to Taylor on the edge of the box, who smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar John Patrick came off the bench for a late senior debut, and showed some very neat touches, most obviously on the edge of his own box after Matt Doherty recovered brilliantly to snuff out a late Luxembourg counter. The Spanish-born midfielder will be among a handful of people on earth to remember this game. While Ireland will have to be vastly improved in September, the context of this game is enough to avoid ringing any alarm bells. Already without the bulk of their Championship contingent, the squad were carrying an accumulated fatigue that will not exist in three months' time. This season, after all, has been long and, er, taxing. Luxembourg: Tiago Pereira; Eldin Džogović, Laurent Jans (Michael Pinto, 62′), Seid Korac, Dirk Carlson; Leandro Barreiro, Tomas Moreira, Danel Sinani; Florian Bohnert (Vincent Thill, 62′) , Gerson Rodrigues (Eric Veiga, 82′), Aiman Dardari (Alessio Curci, 76′) Republic of Ireland: Max O'Leary; Jake O'Brien, Nathan Collins (captain), Dara O'Shea, Robbie Brady (Ryan Manning, 20′); Kasey McAteer (Matt Doherty, 75′), Jason Knight (John Patrick,90′), Will Smallbone (Jack Taylor, 55′), Killian Phillips (Festy Ebosele, 55′); Evan Ferguson (Adam Idah, 75′), Troy Parrott Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store