Latest news with #DancingCity
Irish Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins suffers heartbreaking loss on day he's crowned champion trainer
Willie Mullins held off Dan Skelton's challenge to win the British trainers' championship for the 2024-5 season, retaining the title he won 12 months ago. The Closutton maestro claimed the top spot for a second year running, after closing out the season at Sandown Park on Saturday with victories in multiple races, including the final race of the day secured by Jump Allen. However, a tragic incident tempered the Irishman's celebration, as Dancing City, who had claimed three Grade One wins as a novice hurdler, suffered a fatal injury during the bet365 Gold Cup. Mullins' accomplishment comes as the season drew to a close with him ending on an advantage of £199,507 over Skelton, with both trainers breaking the £3million barrier. This marked a personal best for Skelton's career earnings despite narrowly missing the top spot. ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin expressed his heartfelt sympathies for Dancing City's connections, adding stable staff and owner Marie Donnelly were shattered by the stayer's demise, reports the Mirror. A X user expressed admiration for the fallen thoroughbred, adding a poignant message "What a horse, sad way to end the day ... RIP Dancing City." Click on this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest Cheltenham Festival news and top stories from the Irish Mirror direct to your phone on WhatsApp. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Fans' touching tributes to Dancing City went viral as one X user posted "Such a sad end to the day, and the season as a whole. Run free, Dancing City." Mullins wrapped up the season in style with a treble, which included top victories in the Grade One bet365 Celebration Chase with Il Etait Temps and the Grade Two bet365 Oaksey Chase with Gaelic Warrior. The 68-year-old trainer rounded off the day with a win by Jump Allen (5-1) in the final event, the bet365 Handicap Hurdle. In recent weeks, Mullins had faced challenges, and acknowledged the difficulties he and his rival Dan Skelton had faced. "The last few weeks have been tough and they must have been tough for Dan too. That's the way things go," he said. "I am very happy for all our connections and owners who once again have supported us with their horses." "I was reading more about other sports because there was so much going on in racing I tried to keep away from it all. Otherwise, you couldn't get through it and I'm sure Dan was the same." Meanwhile, Dan Skelton chose to focus on the positives, after what had been a thrilling season marked by the emergence of The New Lion as a future star. "There was an air of inevitability about it today," Skelton said. "We will try harder and aim higher."
Irish Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mullins and Skelton Sandown teams as trainers' championship goes to the wire
Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton have a total of 30 runners at Sandown between them on Saturday as their tussle for the trainers' championship goes to the wire. Skelton has a narrow lead over the Closutton maestro, having led the way since flag fall. But Mullins' typically strong spring on UK soil, including victories in both the Grand National at Aintree and Scottish Grand National at Ayr for the second year running, have seen the defending champion eat significantly into the deficit, with only £24,561 separating the pair at the time of declarations. If the Lodge Hill handler is to win his first title, he will have to survive a strong Closutton invasion this weekend with some of the Irish handler's big names joining their stablemates on the journey to Esher. Mullins is responsible for 10 of the 20 runners in the £175,000 bet365 Gold Cup, which could be crucial in deciding in which direction the trophy heads, while Skelton will rely on just course winner Hoe Joly Smoke, who has had this race as his target since scoring here in March. Amongst the Mullins battalion is Grand National third Grangeclare West, Aintree seventh Minella Cocooner and top-class pair Dancing City and High Class Hero. Away from the championship clash, Nicky Henderson's Jonbon heads the seven engaged in the bet365 Celebration Chase as he attempts to win the race for the third successive year. However, the race could still have a real bearing on the title race with Mullins saddling dual Champion Chase hero Energumene and the returning Il Etait Temps, while Unexpected Party and Harper's Brook will do battle for Skelton. Aintree Bowl scorer Gaelic Warrior leads the Mullins assault on the bet365 Oaksey Chase, with Topham winner Gentleman De Mee, Appreciate It and Classic Getaway are also on the teamsheet. Skelton saddles Boombawn in the Grade Two event, but may be hoping his old boss Paul Nicholls can help him out, with Ascot Chase hero Pic D'Orhy the form pick of the British-trained hopefuls. Lossiemouth bypasses the bet365 Select Hurdle, with Kitzbuhel the raiding representative from County Carlow. Skelton relies on both Gwennie May Boy and Take No Chances. Mullins is now 1/10 with Boylesports to retain the British Champion Jumps Trainer crown this weekend. Brian O'Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: 'We were expecting a goliath entry at Sandown from Team Mullins and that's exactly what we've got. Punters are already latching onto the Irish raiders to be part of another historic day at Sandown, which would cap off the most incredible season for Closutton.'
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins flexes muscles with TEN runners in championship-deciding race
Determined to hold onto the title he clinched 12 months ago, the Irishman has gone for broke with half the runners in the bet365 Gold Cup in which rival Dan Skelton has just one Willie Mullins has flexed his muscles in the British jumps trainers' championship-deciding race by declaring TEN horses for the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on Saturday. In a show of intent that he will not hand over the crown he claimed 12 months ago for the first time lightly, he has half the 20-runner field for the £175,000 showpiece. Skelton, who still leads race for a title he has yet to win by £24,561, has just one runner and that horse Holy Joe Smoke has to run from 10lb out of the handicap because Mullins declared top weight Grangeclare West. Mullins sealed last season's championship last April when Minella Cocooner landed the bet365 Gold Cup in an end of season spree which included victories in the Grand National and Scottish Grand National. This year he put himself right on Skelton's heels when pulling off an unprecedented 1-2-3 in the Grand National and followed Aintree success with another victory in the Scottish Grand National. His ten bet365 Gold Cup team again includes Minella Cocooner, alongside Grangeclare West, Dancing City, High Class Hero, Lombron, Olympic Man, O'Moore Park, Spanish Harlem, Chosen Witness and Klarc Kent. He has declared four in the Oaksey Chase, in which Skelton has one, one in the Select Hurdle, in which Skelton has two runners. The rivals have two horses each in the £175,000 Celebration Chase while in the last Mullins has declared four against Skelton's two at a meeting where £685,000 up for grabs. The contest has proved so gripping that ITV has changed the running order to ensure the outcome of the Mullins vs Skelton battle gets live coverage. So in collaboration with Sandown and the BHA the first race of the day will now start at 1.20pm, 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled. Skelton has Thursday and Friday to reassert his lead over Mullins before the weekend and says he is feeling relaxed. Speaking to Ladbrokes, he said: 'I'm feeling good about the race for the trainers' title. It's going to be what it will be and it's going to be hard to stop Willie Mullins on Saturday because he's got so many big-name horses. 'It's going to be very, very hard - we need all the other to run well for us too.'
Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins goes for broke with 15 horses in last big jumps race of season
The trainer is responsible for nearly half the field in Saturday's bet365 Gold Cup which could decide the outcome of his battle with Dan Skelton for the British trainers' championship Willie Mullins has gone for broke in an all-out effort to win a second British jumps trainers' championship. In the final week of the 2024-25 season the champion of Ireland trails leader Dan Skelton by just under £28,000 in the battle to retain the crown which Mullins secured for the first time 12 months ago. The season closes with the jumps finale meeting at Sandown on Saturday when £685,000 will be up for grabs across seven races. Between them the two trainers have made a 71 entries on the card, but Mullins has included some of his star names in his team and trains 15 of 35 confirmations in the bet365 Gold Cup. Skelton has three. They include the Scottish Grand National winner Captain Cody and Grand National third Grangeclare West, who with top weight will keep a majority of the field out of the handicap if he is declared. Another of his challengers, High Class Hero, heads the betting. Skelton's contenders are Sail Away, Holy Joe Smoke and Theformismighty, but all three would be a long way out of the weights if Grangeclare West runs. In the Celebration Chase, Mullins has Aintree winners Gaelic Warrior, who is also engaged in the Oaksey Chase, and Impaire Et Passeas well as two-time Champion Chase winner Energumene. Skelton is more strongly represented in this race, with six in contention against Jonbon. He has entered Lossiemouth, the two-time Cheltenham Festival Mares' Hurdle winner and winner of the Aintree Hurdle, in the Select Hurdle. Mullins trained an unprecedented 1-2-3 in the Grand National and saddled the 1-2 in the Scottish Grand National a week later and his horses are 1-2-3 in the ante-post market with Coral betting 5-1 High Class Hero, 6 Captain Cody, 8 Dancing City, 10 bar. Coral's David Stevens said: 'With £175,000 up for grabs, Saturday's Bet365 Gold Cup could well decide the outcome of this season's trainers' title race, and the ante-post betting says it's advantage Willie Mullins at this stage, with the first three in our market trained by the reigning champion.' Mullins assistant, David Casey, said running plans would be confirmed much later in the week. When asked if Lossiemouth or Gaelic Warrior will run at Sandown, Casey said: 'I've no idea at this stage. Give me a shout at 9.55 on Thursday when the decs are out! They are all fine, they are all grand and they are all being prepared for Punchestown anyway. 'Who knows (who will win), Dan (Skelton) is going to have a lot of runners this week in races we don't have runners in, so we will see by Thursday what way it is standing and then make a plan. Obviously, we were probably in front last year coming out of Aintree. We are behind this year, so it is a little bit harder. 'If it happens, great, and if it doesn't, sure we gave it a try.'
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Harry Redknapp suffers Cheltenham Festival blow after contender ruled out injured
One of Britain's brightest young hopes for the Cheltenham Festival, The Jukebox Man, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to injury. Ben Pauling's star novice chaser, owned by Harry Redknapp, was vying for favouritism for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, having already struck at Grade 1 level in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. The seven-year-old, who shone on Boxing Day after winning the Grade 2 John Francome Novices' Chase at Newbury, looked primed to back up Redknapp's Cheltenham Festival win last year with Shakem Up'Arry in the Plate. The Gloucestersire trainer had intended to go straight to Cheltenham with the talented seven-year-old son of Ask, having made a bold statement soon after Christmas, but those plans are now in tatters. The trainer said in a statement to SunRacing: 'The Jukebox Man has this morning sustained an injury during his routine exercise that will sadly rule him out for the season. 'At this early stage, the feedback from our veterinary team and the specialists is positive that we can look forward to seeing him return in the autumn. 'It is a huge blow for all involved and every care is being taken for one of our stable's leading lights. 'We will update you on his recovery in due course.' Bet365 responded by cutting Ballyburn to 11-4 favourite for the staying prize with fellow Willie Mullins -trained stablemate Dancing City second favourite at 7-2. Redknapp has now endured a second blow inside 24 hours, with 2-7 favourite Risk It All turned over in what were labelled 'bizarre' scenes at Plumpton yesterday. 11-4 Ballyburn, 7-2 Dancing City, 10 Jango Baie, 12 Better Days Ahead, Impaire Et Passe, Lecky Watson, 14 Champ Kiely, Croke Park, 16 bar.
