Willie Mullins retirement question met with chilling warning but that isn't what punters are talking about

Daily Record

9 hours ago

The leading trainer had nephew Danny extolling his virtues on Sunday morning
Danny Mullins has sent a chilling warning to the rest of jump racing that uncle Willie's unbelievable hunger is still firmly intact.
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And the popular jockey admits he'd love to wear the Closutton crown one day and be No.1 for the all-powerful Irish yard.
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As the days of summer begin to end, horse-racing focus is beginning to turn towards the return of the National Hunt and the 2025/26 campaign.
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Master trainer Mullins is the king in both the UK and Ireland having won both titles again last season and his might has seen him dominate the biggest events for the last few years.
Nephew Danny has ridden plenty of his top-class winners and, as the rest of the yards attempt to reach the lofty bar, he says his uncle isnt going anywhere anytime soon.
Speaking on Luck on Sunday, he said: 'He's just got unbelievable hunger and, I said it before, where Willie always says in sport you're never on a level plateau.
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"You're either going up or down and you just have to have that hunger where you want to keep going up, And I think, well I hope, for my sake anyway, that he wants to do it for plenty more. There's no sign of him stopping at any time soon.'
Jockey Mullins enjoyed another superb season last term racking up major wins with an ability to take rides for other trainers such as Jospeh O'Brien.
Of course, the opportunity to be the main man for Willie is a job that any individual would want, but that's not an option at the moment.
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The outstanding Paul Townend is currently the first pick for Mullins and has been in sensational form in recent years meaning his position is secure.
But Danny harbours ambitions one day and, sporting a colourful new hairstyle on the TV show which was quickly noticed by viewers, he said: 'I'd definitely love to wear the crown and ride all the best horses, but is there another job in racing where you're probably not tied down all the time, so you can get plenty of big spare rides and still regularly ride Grade 1 winners through the year?
"I was lucky enough this year when JJ Slevin was injured I had a good association with Joseph O'Brien and that reaped plenty of reward, Grade 1 success. And I have that freedom to do that. But, you know, I'd still love to be riding all the Willies horses.'
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Mullins joked: 'I don't think I'm going to bump off Paul anytime soon! I'd love to see Paul ride off into the sunset, but we're we're a similar age so I'd imagine he's not going anywhere anytime soon.
"We would have ridden on the pony racing circuit together so we came through and you know he maybe went jumping earlier than me. I had my few years on the flat, but we've pretty much grown up in the game together.'
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