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Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mullins splashes out huge sum on horse that only finished third on debut
Willie Mullins has splashed out €150,000 on a horse described as a "beautiful model" at the Tattersalls Ireland May Point-to-Point and Horses-in-Training Sale. The search to find the next equine superstar never ends for Team Mullins and they went deep in their pockets on Thursday. Mullins paid €150,000 for a horse called Bentraghhill, who was an eye-catching third in a point-to-point race at Fairyhouse last month. The four-year-old son of Getaway was trained on his debut by Cormac Abernethy and owned by Wilson Dennison, who previously owned Grade 1 winners Bellshill, Shaneshill and Yorkshill. Harold Kirk, Mullins' trusted bloodstock agent, told the Racing Post: 'He's a gorgeous horse and we've bought so many Grade 1 winners from Wilson Dennison, at least eight or nine individual Grade 1 horses. "We also had Getabird by Getaway, who was a Grade 1 horse too. 'He ran fantastically well for a big horse on his first start, he was only beaten three lengths and he has a lot of filing out to do. He has a good pedigree and is a beautiful model. He will go to grass now. He needs time as he's a big horse.' The sale was also notable for the sales of some of the prominent owner Robcour's enviable string. Grade 3-winning half-brothers French Dynamite and Indiana Jones, both trained by Mouse Morris, were purchased by Eric McNamara for €40,000 and by Bobby O'Ryan for €22,000, respectively. Robcour also sold Grade 2 winner Aspire Tower to Jimmy Fyffe for €44,000.
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Willie Mullins plotting ‘big surprise' worth £60,000 for King Charles at Royal Ascot with historic runner Reaching High
There could be a right Royal party on day one ROYAL WRIT Willie Mullins plotting 'big surprise' worth £60,000 for King Charles at Royal Ascot with historic runner Reaching High WILLIE MULLINS says it was a 'big surprise' to be given a historic Royal horse to train - and he wants to repay King Charles with Ascot glory. Reaching High, who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, is the first horse to be trained in Ireland by a reigning monarch. 1 King Charles and Queen Camilla will be looking for winners at this year's Royal Ascot - and Willie Mullins might just supply them with one Credit: Simon Jones Jumps legend Mullins is making more and more of a splash in Flat racing these days. And he could break all sorts of new ground should Reaching High really give the King something to smile about on day one of racing's biggest Flat festival. Formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Reaching High was denied a debut win under Mullins at Leopardstown earlier this month. The four-year-old gelding went down in a head-bobber having finished like a train. Mullins has since told the Racing Post that the Ascot Stakes looks like being his next race. The 2m5½f contest is worth just shy of £60,000 to the winner. Mullins knows what it takes to land it having been victorious with Brighton boss Tony Bloom's Stratum in 2021 and 2022. And Ireland have a stranglehold on the race, with Joseph O'Brien claiming it the past two years with Dawn Rising and Uxmal. Mullins, who will look to keep his country's grip on the Class 2 handicap going, said: "It's an honour and a big surprise to be asked (to train a Royal horse). "It's nice to have a horse in that position and it's very exciting. "I'm probably looking at the two-and-a-half-mile race (Ascot Stakes) but we'll look at both staying races on the first day. "When you look at his pedigree, it's all stamina. He seems to stay very well." King Charles actually rode at Cheltenham Festival, where Mullins dominates, but the Royal runners have tended to focus on the Flat. King Charles sends Willie Mullins 'impressive' horse with amazing pedigree in historic deal - as they target Royal Ascot Of them, Gold Cup hero Estimate was by far the best but the King and Queen did have big success in 2023 with Desert Hero. Alsy by Sea The Stars and bred by the late Queen, he was a thrilling 18-1 Royal Ascot winner, reducing the King to tears. He then won the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood before finishing third in the St Leger - the final Classic of the season - at Doncaster. There had been fears King Charles would drastically cut back the multi-million pound Royal racing operation after he inherited it. But Queen Camilla remains a huge supporter of the sport and the couple still have a lot of horses in training with the likes of Nicky Henderson over jumps and William Haggas, Ralph Beckett and John and Thady Gosden on the Flat. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Going gets tricky for tracks on a bank holiday when fans were short-changed
Bank holiday cards in May are perennially among the best-attended meetings of the season at Windsor, but a bumper gate at the track on Monday was not matched by a similar turnout on the other side of the running rail. Two dozen non-runners from an original total of 90 declared runners, almost all of which were due to the good-to-firm going, left the card as a whole looking distinctly threadbare. The biggest hit was to the initial 15-runner field for a 10-furlong handicap, with a £10k prize to the winner, which ended up with just six starters are eight ground-related scratchings and another due to a bad scope. Bank holiday crowds are a lifeline for plenty of the country's smaller tracks. It is – and there is no shame in it – a case of never mind the quality, feel the width. The paying punters do not expect to see next year's Derby winner running in the novice but they do expect excitement and a spectacle. On that basis, the depleted fields at Windsor on Monday were not a good look. It is a look, though, that promises to become increasingly familiar, at least if Charlie Rees, Windsor's clerk of the course, is correct. 'I think it's just a sign of the times, really,' Rees told the Racing Post. 'Trainers are obviously desperate for a bit of cut in the ground for certain horses and unfortunately the promised rain we were once forecast hasn't delivered.' Rees had watered the track in the run-up to Monday's card and it was officially good when the course raced on Saturday evening – and reported as good, good-to-soft in places at 7am on Saturday morning – but no rainfall and strong winds combined to dry it out to good-to-firm in 48 hours. The British Horseracing Authority's general instructions to racecourses state that Flat tracks 'should aim to provide good-to-firm ground', but that description has become an increasing rarity in British Flat racing over the last 20 years, as clerks of the course have turned on the taps with increasing regularity and persistence. While 46% of Flat races in the 2005 season were run on good-to-firm going or faster, by 2024 the figure was down to just 29%. Over jumps, meanwhile, the BHA instruction is that tracks 'should aim to provide good ground, and no firmer than good-to-firm.' The extent to which officials have taken this to heart is evident from the fact that just 31 National Hunt races were run on good-to-firm ground in 2024 (and eight of those were at meetings staged in mid-November). The primary welfare issue around the speed of the ground has always been seen as the rate of fatal and serious injuries to runners, and the statistics leave no doubt that racing on good-to-firm ground, over jumps in particular, has a higher fatality rate than competing on an easier surface. On the Flat, meanwhile, while the fatality rate is much lower overall – just 0.09% in 2024, representing 55 fatal injuries from 59,194 starts – but the chance of a minor injury or issue – getting 'jarred-up', for instance – is also higher on faster ground. So good-to-firm ground will remain a sticking point for many owners and trainers, despite being the BHA's official 'target' for racecourses, and while Windsor's depleted card on Monday is still a relative rarity, in the medium-to-long term, as global temperatures are predicted to creep ever higher and water becomes an increasingly precious – and therefore expensive – resource, the clerks can expect to be fighting a losing battle. Leicester: 2.00 Rock On Thunder 2.30 Bust A Moon 3.00 Pina Sonata 3.30 Me Tarzan 4.00 Sixteen One 4.35 Antelope (nb) 5.10 Dashing Donkey. Redcar: 2.20 Bleep Test 2.50 Captain Brett 3.20 Mafting 3.50 Jet Black 4.20 Poet's Dawn 4.55 Bantz 5.25 Four Adaay. Brighton: 2.40 Danehill Star 3.10 Senorita Vega 3.40 Twilight Guest 4.10 Oj Lifestyle 4.45 Callout (nap) 5.15 Pop Dancer. Wolverhampton: 6.12 Bone Marra 6.42 Cajole 7.12 The Feminine Urge 7.42 Wyvern 8.12 Latin 8.42 Tralee Girl. Smaller tracks in particular could start to find that maintaining an acceptable racing surface – or acceptable to the majority of trainers and owners, at any rate – is no longer economically viable. The sport is currently spending £3.62m on a marketing campaign to attract a fresh new generation of fans, the results of which remain to be seen. Future-proofing the sport to ensure the racegoers of 2035 and beyond have something to watch, however, promises to be an even sterner challenge.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Going gets tricky for tracks on a bank holiday when fans were short-changed
Bank holiday cards in May are perennially among the best-attended meetings of the season at Windsor, but a bumper gate at the track on Monday was not matched by a similar turnout on the other side of the running rail. Two dozen non-runners from an original total of 90 declared runners, almost all of which were due to the good-to-firm going, left the card as a whole looking distinctly threadbare. The biggest hit was to the initial 15-runner field for a 10-furlong handicap, with a £10k prize to the winner, which ended up with just six starters are eight ground-related scratchings and another due to a bad scope. Advertisement Bank holiday crowds are a lifeline for plenty of the country's smaller tracks. It is – and there is no shame in it – a case of never mind the quality, feel the width. The paying punters do not expect to see next year's Derby winner running in the novice but they do expect excitement and a spectacle. On that basis, the depleted fields at Windsor on Monday were not a good look. It is a look, though, that promises to become increasingly familiar, at least if Charlie Rees, Windsor's clerk of the course, is correct. 'I think it's just a sign of the times, really,' Rees told the Racing Post. 'Trainers are obviously desperate for a bit of cut in the ground for certain horses and unfortunately the promised rain we were once forecast hasn't delivered.' Rees had watered the track in the run-up to Monday's card and it was officially good when the course raced on Saturday evening – and reported as good, good-to-soft in places at 7am on Saturday morning – but no rainfall and strong winds combined to dry it out to good-to-firm in 48 hours. The British Horseracing Authority's general instructions to racecourses state that Flat tracks 'should aim to provide good-to-firm ground', but that description has become an increasing rarity in British Flat racing over the last 20 years, as clerks of the course have turned on the taps with increasing regularity and persistence. While 46% of Flat races in the 2005 season were run on good-to-firm going or faster, by 2024 the figure was down to just 29%. Advertisement Over jumps, meanwhile, the BHA instruction is that tracks 'should aim to provide good ground, and no firmer than good-to-firm.' The extent to which officials have taken this to heart is evident from the fact that just 31 National Hunt races were run on good-to-firm ground in 2024 (and eight of those were at meetings staged in mid-November). The primary welfare issue around the speed of the ground has always been seen as the rate of fatal and serious injuries to runners, and the statistics leave no doubt that racing on good-to-firm ground, over jumps in particular, has a higher fatality rate than competing on an easier surface. On the Flat, meanwhile, while the fatality rate is much lower overall – just 0.09% in 2024, representing 55 fatal injuries from 59,194 starts – but the chance of a minor injury or issue – getting 'jarred-up', for instance – is also higher on faster ground. So good-to-firm ground will remain a sticking point for many owners and trainers, despite being the BHA's official 'target' for racecourses, and while Windsor's depleted card on Monday is still a relative rarity, in the medium-to-long term, as global temperatures are predicted to creep ever higher and water becomes an increasingly precious – and therefore expensive – resource, the clerks can expect to be fighting a losing battle. Advertisement Leicester: 2.00 Rock On Thunder 2.30 Bust A Moon 3.00 Pina Sonata 3.30 Me Tarzan 4.00 Sixteen One 4.35 Antelope (nb) 5.10 Dashing Donkey. Redcar: 2.20 Bleep Test 2.50 Captain Brett 3.20 Mafting 3.50 Jet Black 4.20 Poet's Dawn 4.55 Bantz 5.25 Four Adaay. Brighton: 2.40 Danehill Star 3.10 Senorita Vega 3.40 Twilight Guest 4.10 Oj Lifestyle 4.45 Callout (nap) 5.15 Pop Dancer. Wolverhampton: 6.12 Bone Marra 6.42 Cajole 7.12 The Feminine Urge 7.42 Wyvern 8.12 Latin 8.42 Tralee Girl. Smaller tracks in particular could start to find that maintaining an acceptable racing surface – or acceptable to the majority of trainers and owners, at any rate – is no longer economically viable. The sport is currently spending £3.62m on a marketing campaign to attract a fresh new generation of fans, the results of which remain to be seen. Future-proofing the sport to ensure the racegoers of 2035 and beyond have something to watch, however, promises to be an even sterner challenge.
The Guardian
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Going gets tricky for tracks on a bank holiday when fans were short-changed
Bank holiday cards in May are perennially among the best-attended meetings of the season at Windsor, but a bumper gate at the track on Monday was not matched by a similar turnout on the other side of the running rail. Two dozen non-runners from an original total of 90 declared runners, almost all of which were due to the good-to-firm going, left the card as a whole looking distinctly threadbare. The biggest hit was to the initial 15-runner field for a 10-furlong handicap, with a £10k prize to the winner, which ended up with just six starters are eight ground-related scratchings and another due to a bad scope. Bank holiday crowds are a lifeline for plenty of the country's smaller tracks. It is – and there is no shame in it – a case of never mind the quality, feel the width. The paying punters do not expect to see next year's Derby winner running in the novice but they do expect excitement and a spectacle. On that basis, the depleted fields at Windsor on Monday were not a good look. It is a look, though, that promises to become increasingly familiar, at least if Charlie Rees, Windsor's clerk of the course, is correct. 'I think it's just a sign of the times, really,' Rees told the Racing Post. 'Trainers are obviously desperate for a bit of cut in the ground for certain horses and unfortunately the promised rain we were once forecast hasn't delivered.' Rees had watered the track in the run-up to Monday's card and it was officially good when the course raced on Saturday evening – and reported as good, good-to-soft in places at 7am on Saturday morning – but no rainfall and strong winds combined to dry it out to good-to-firm in 48 hours. The British Horseracing Authority's general instructions to racecourses state that Flat tracks 'should aim to provide good-to-firm ground', but that description has become an increasing rarity in British Flat racing over the last 20 years, as clerks of the course have turned on the taps with increasing regularity and persistence. While 46% of Flat races in the 2005 season were run on good-to-firm going or faster, by 2024 the figure was down to just 29%. Over jumps, meanwhile, the BHA instruction is that tracks 'should aim to provide good ground, and no firmer than good-to-firm.' The extent to which officials have taken this to heart is evident from the fact that just 31 National Hunt races were run on good-to-firm ground in 2024 (and eight of those were at meetings staged in mid-November). The primary welfare issue around the speed of the ground has always been seen as the rate of fatal and serious injuries to runners, and the statistics leave no doubt that racing on good-to-firm ground, over jumps in particular, has a higher fatality rate than competing on an easier surface. On the Flat, meanwhile, while the fatality rate is much lower overall – just 0.09% in 2024, representing 55 fatal injuries from 59,194 starts – but the chance of a minor injury or issue – getting 'jarred-up', for instance – is also higher on faster ground. So good-to-firm ground will remain a sticking point for many owners and trainers, despite being the BHA's official 'target' for racecourses, and while Windsor's depleted card on Monday is still a relative rarity, in the medium-to-long term, as global temperatures are predicted to creep ever higher and water becomes an increasingly precious – and therefore expensive – resource, the clerks can expect to be fighting a losing battle. Leicester: 2.00 Rock On Thunder 2.30 Bust A Moon 3.00 Pina Sonata 3.30 Me Tarzan 4.00 Sixteen One 4.35 Antelope (nb) 5.10 Dashing Donkey. Redcar: 2.20 Bleep Test 2.50 Captain Brett 3.20 Mafting 3.50 Jet Black 4.20 Poet's Dawn 4.55 Bantz 5.25 Four Adaay. Brighton: 2.40 Danehill Star 3.10 Senorita Vega 3.40 Twilight Guest 4.10 Oj Lifestyle 4.45 Callout (nap) 5.15 Pop Dancer. Wolverhampton: 6.12 Bone Marra 6.42 Cajole 7.12 The Feminine Urge 7.42 Wyvern 8.12 Latin 8.42 Tralee Girl. Smaller tracks in particular could start to find that maintaining an acceptable racing surface – or acceptable to the majority of trainers and owners, at any rate – is no longer economically viable. The sport is currently spending £3.62m on a marketing campaign to attract a fresh new generation of fans, the results of which remain to be seen. Future-proofing the sport to ensure the racegoers of 2035 and beyond have something to watch, however, promises to be an even sterner challenge.
