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The Herald Scotland
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
‘See you at Punchestown!' Henderson ‘couldn't be happier' with Constitution Hill
In a post on X, he said: 'Constitution Hill jumped four fences on our Canter Carpet schooling strip this morning with James Bowen on top. Everything went extremely well and I couldn't be happier with his condition.' Constitution Hill running loose after falling at Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA) Henderson confirmed last Friday that he had given his stable star the 'green light' to head to Punchestown for the Boodles Champion Hurdle, 'barring any hiccups' in a weekend spin over obstacles. It will come as a surprise to many that Constitution Hill jumped fences rather than hurdles under Bowen, who will deputise for sidelined stable jockey Nico de Boinville. But Henderson added: 'Nothing whatsoever should be read into the fact he schooled over fences, he is definitely NOT going down that route, but after discussing it with Nico, Michael (Buckley, owner) and James we decided this was the best thing to do. It was a brave decision but they are only baby fences and we hope it works.' Constitution Hill after falling in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham (Ashley Iveson/PA) The trainer also issued an upbeat post-race report on Jonbon after he found the Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps too strong when bidding for a third victory in Sandown's Celebration Chase on Saturday. 'I'm pleased to report that Jonbon has come out of Sandown in good form. He's understandably quite tired, but he's been to every party and is such a warrior,' he said. 'It was unfortunate he bumped into a fresh horse but he beat Energumene and Edwardstone like he did at Ascot and if he was going to get beaten by anyone, it was always going to be by a Willie Mullins horse. That is, however, not in any way to detract from what a remarkable training performance it was. 'Well done, Willie; see you at Punchestown!'
Irish Independent
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I feel sorry for Dan' – Willie Mullins with words of sympathy for his rival as he defends UK trainers' championship
The master of Closutton became the first Irish-based handler since Vincent O'Brien in the 1950s to lift the UK jumps trophy on the closing afternoon of last season and came out on top once again after a titanic tussle with Skelton which went down to the final throes of the campaign. Skelton started the day over £68,000 in front of Mullins, but an easy win for Oaksey Chase favourite Gaelic Warrior and then a surprise as Il Etait Temps toppled the odds-on Jonbon in Celebration Chase saw the defending champion seize control. Training the second, third, fourth and fifth-placed horses in the bet355 Gold Cup set the seal on another success for Mullins, with Skelton having to settle for second again. Mullins had trailed his rival at every stage of the campaign, but his usual strong Cheltenham performance was supplemented by Nick Rockett leading a one-two-three in the Grand National at Aintree and Captain Cody taking home another big pot in the Scottish National at Ayr. That put him firmly on the hunt for a title defence, with both trainers taking in the likes of big meetings at Cheltenham, Perth and Plumpton as well as less high-profile cards to chase the money – a pursuit Mullins is relieved is now over. He said: 'It's relief and it's been tough work the last few weeks. 'I feel sorry for Dan who has been leading the whole way and then we've had a fantastic last few months which made this a possibility. 'It's tough when you are beaten in almost a photo finish but we're very happy to win. I know what the last few weeks have been like for me and Dan will have been hoping for the best and it's tough, you win some you lose some.' The title battle has captured the headlines in recent days, but Mullins has preferred not to pay too much attention. He said: '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. ADVERTISEMENT '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.' O'Brien, who went on to dominate as a Flat handler, was a dual British jumps champion and Mullins feels the initial achievement last year possibly meant more. He added: 'I'm very happy to have won it for a second time but it was probably sweeter to win it the 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! 'I'm happy for all our horses and connections who have allowed us to bring their horses to England and it shows they are all sportsman and all good people to have on your side. It's who I like training for – good people who are good for the sport. I'm lucky to have a lot of those people. 'It's out of this world to be thinking that I have done similar to Vincent O'Brien, but then he went and did it again on the Flat which I can assure you I won't – I'm very happy doing what I am doing and lucky to have the team that I have, starting with Jackie my wife and then the whole way down, I'm thrilled.'
Telegraph
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Dan Skelton's hopes of maiden title extinguished by imperious Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins's first salvo of runners on the last day of the season extinguished Dan Skelton's hopes of a first title, as the imperious Irishman retained his status as No 1. One day Skelton might reflect that taking the trainers' championship down to the wire was the Herculean effort of his career. In most normal years against normal opposition he had done more than enough, with over £3 million in prize-money. But his horses finally started running like they might be leaden legged while Mullins's just kept doing what Mullins's do; namely winning. No other trainer in jump racing history could muster 21 for the last push - particularly with his home festival of Punchestown three days away - and though Mullins brought quite a few members of his second XI, an on-song Gaelic Warrior is very much top order first XI as is Il Etais Temps. When Gaelic Warrior duly led home a 1-2 4-6 for Mullins in the Oaksey Chase, the third race on the card, it was effectively game over and Skelton's wish to be beaten by five figures rather than pounds and pence, to ease the pain, was granted. By the end of the day it was not even close; he was down to the tune of £200,000. Master class from @PTownend and Gaelic Warrior 🏆 A Win for team Mullins in the bet365 Oaksey Chase, bridging the gap between team Skelton in the Trainers Championship 🥇 #ITVRacing | | @Sandownpark — ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 26, 2025 'It's relief and it's been tough work the last few weeks,' said Mullins. 'I feel sorry for Dan who has been leading the whole way and then we've had a fantastic last few months which made this a possibility. It's tough when you are beaten in almost a photo finish but we're very happy to win. 'It's out of this world to be thinking that I have done similar to Vincent O'Brien (who retained his title in 1953-54), but then he went and did it again on the Flat which I can assure you I won't – I'm very happy doing what I am doing and lucky to have the team that I have, starting with Jackie my wife and then the whole way down. I'm thrilled.' A prime example of the Mullins genius came when Il Etais Temps, a very smart novice last season but having his first start for a year, and nephew Danny Mullins inflicted a first defeat on Jonbon outside of Cheltenham, beating him five and a half lengths in the bet365 Celebration Chase. In terms of the title it was the coup de grace. IL ETAIT TEMPS takes the bet365 Celebration Chase 🎉 Hasn't run this season until now and does that! 😮💨 #ITVRacing | @WillieMullinsNH | @dan2231 — ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 26, 2025 'He is a smart horse but my nephew is in for it again – he never follows my instructions!' joked Mullins. 'I said go easy and get some place money and he goes and wins it. I did not expect that performance. To do what he did was one of the moments of the whole year.' Though Mullins filled out three of the first four places in the bet365 Gold Cup, he did not have the winner which was the Olly Murphy trained Resplendent Grey. If Skelton has been looking over his shoulder at Mullins for a couple of seasons, one day it might be his near-neighbour Murphy who has, in effect, been kingmaker for Sean Bowen this season, providing him with over 100 winners. Murphy started his career very brightly but it plateaued a bit until he got Bowen in as first jockey. Obviously the trainer-jockey relationship is symbiotic and together they have grown into a potent force. 'I texted Sean this morning and said I was sorry I hadn't provided him with a Grade One winner,' said Murphy. 'But this makes up for it.' In every generation of jockeys there is one who you do not want to see coming after you going to the last, no matter who is on the leader; the sort of person who could pick up a horse and carry it if necessary. Stan Mellor, Peter Scudamore, AP McCoy, Richard Johnson all fitted that category. Now that jockey is Bowen, crowned champion for the first time, and going to the last there was - as there had been at Perth all this week - a certainty that even Rachael Blackmore on the Mullins-trained Lombron would succumb to him in his current form. And so it proved.
The Irish Sun
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘This is not normal' – Willie Mullins reflects on another emotional British jumps trainer title triumph at Sandown
WILLIE MULLIINS has once again secured the British trainers' championship after prevailing in a dramatic final day battle with Dan Skelton. The legendary 2 Willie Mullins with his Champion Trainer trophy fro the 2024-25 season at Sandown Park Racecourse 2 Mullins was delighted with the historic feet as he weighed-in on another success And he Skelton entered the final day holding a lead of over £68,000, but Mullins turned the tables thanks to a commanding win for Oaksey Chase favourite Gaelic Warrior, followed by an upset when Il Etait Temps defeated odds-on shot Jonbon in the Celebration Chase. Mullins then cemented his title by saddling the second, third, fourth, and fifth horses in the bet365 Gold Cup. His triumph once again leaft Skelton having to settle for the runner-up spot. read more on horse racing But the famed trainer admitted that he was very nervous heading into today's decider at Sandown. Speaking "We were running horses back quicker than we usually do, so you can't come here with confidence. The 68-year-old also admitted that he has to pinch himself as he reflected on his incredible success. Most read in Horse Racing He added: "We pinch ourselves and I say to my son, don't think this is normal, this is not normal. Don't take it for granted." It looks like next week's Punchestown Festival will be up next for her, where she is set to complete a Mullins squad featuring the likes of Galopin Des Champs, Kopek Des Bordes and State Man. Jim Delahunt's FREE horse racing tips - Mullins v Skelton - the final battle. Sandown tips plus one from Navan on the flat British trainers might feel like waving the white flag altogether, knowing Mullins' true top talent is staying at home. That's not to say they didn't help him win though, mopping up the top races at Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals over the past two months. Mullins made history when winning the title in 2024. He became the first Irish-based handler since Vincent O'Brien 70 years earlier to be crowned king. And the truth is it will take a monumental effort from the likes of Skelton, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson to stop him again next year.
Irish Daily Mirror
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mullins crowned British champion trainer on incredible Jumps Finale at Sandown
Willie Mullins has been crowned champion National Hunt trainer in Britain for a second successive year. The Co Carlow handler once again denied Dan Skelton a maiden trainers' championship as he overtook him on prize money for the first time this season on the final day. The victory comes 12 months after Mullins became the first Irish-based trainer since Vincent O'Brien 70 years earlier to lift the British title. A surprise win for Il Etait Temps (9/2) under the trainer's nephew Danny Mullins over 8/15 favourite Jonbon in the bet365 Celebration Chase all but secured the trophy would be returning to Closutton. It followed an earlier success for Gaelic Warrior in the bet365 Oaksey Chase, with Appreciate It, Gentleman De Mee, Classic Getaway, Kitzbuhel and Energumene also picking up prize money in their respective races. But the championship win was confirmed after the trainer had the second, third, fourth and fifth-placed horses behind Resplendent Grey in the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase with Lombron, High Class Hero, Spanish Harlem and Grangeclare West respectively. Jump Allen's victory under Harry Cobden in the last race on the card, the bet365 Handicap Hurdle put the icing on the cake for Mullins, who started the day £68,482 behind Skelton, after the English trainer increased his lead between Wednesday and Thursday with four winners across the two days. The Closutton trainer sent a total of 21 runners to Sandown to do battle on Saturday, while Skelton declared nine. Despite leading the championship since it began, there was an air of inevitability that Mullins would beat him to it once again since the Carlow handler saddled the first, second, third, fifth and seventh-placed horses in the Grand National earlier this month, picking up £840,000 in the process. Sandown took the decision during the week to rearrange the races on the final day of the jumps season so the two richest contests on the day, the bet365 Celebration Chase and bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase would be run later on the card, with the first race brought forward 30 minutes. Mullins had no runners in the opening two races, with Skelton's Riskintheground the first of the pair's horses to run, finishing seventh in the Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase, the second contest of the day. Gaelic Warrior got the ball rolling for Mullins as the 5/6 favourite won the Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase under Townend, with stablemate Appreciate It coming second under Sean O'Keeffe. Gentleman De Mee also picked up prize money for Mullins for finishing fourth, while Skelton's runner, Boombawn came fifth. That left the 68-year-old less than £3,000 behind in the title race and after the fourth race he was ahead for the first time as Kitzbuhel picked up £8,560 for finishing third behind Blueking D'oroux in the bet365 Select Hurdle. And he surged clear after Il Etait Temps won the Celebration Chase, beating Jonbon by five and a half lengths, with his championship victory confirmed some 35 minutes later. Mullins has been installed as the 3/1 second favourite behind Skelton to win the championship for a third time next year. Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said: 'Dual UK Champion Trainer Willie Mullins has once again shown that when he wants to win something in racing, he can win it. And while he left it late, we think there's every chance he could land the treble next year, making him a 3/1 shot to retain his title for a third time. 'Dan Skelton must've felt he was home and hosed before Mullins' Grand National heroics, and we think that he's the most likely winner of next season's title at 4/7 favourite. We best not sleep on Paul Nicholls, though, and we make the fourteen-time champ 5/1 to regain his crown.'
