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Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Willie Mullins retains trainers' title with final-day surge past rival Dan Skelton after dramatic Sandown showdown
Willie Mullins had just made history but he was not ready to celebrate. First he wanted to share a handshake with Dan Skelton, whom he had beaten to the title of champion trainer once again, then he wanted to congratulate Olly Murphy, who had saddled the last big winner of jumps season. Once those duties had been taken care of, Mullins began to speak. He stood in Sandown's winner's enclosure — which had effectively become his home from home on this momentous day — and reflected on how he retained the crown his stable landed for the first time 12 months ago. In those five, candid minutes, Mullins said 'tough' 13 times. He felt for Skelton, who had led the race with just four races of the campaign to go; he spoke of the mental toll the planning of this operation had taken on him and the angst of watching it all unfold. Tough, tough, tough. 'I just know what the last few weeks have been like for me,' said Mullins, who saddled 21 runners on a day when Sandown had its first 10,000-plus crowd since before the pandemic. 'You win some, you lose some. It must be tough on Dan but I am very happy for all our connections. 'Once again, they said for us to go to England with their horses and do your best. It shows that they are all sportsmen. Really, I tried to keep away from it all — otherwise you wouldn't have been able to get through it. I'm sure Dan was the same.' Skelton's horses have run brilliantly all winter and his numbers, in terms of prize- money and winners, have been remarkable but he has been engulfed by Mullins' tsunami since Cheltenham; at one stage Mullins was £2million behind in this race — he ended up winning it by £199,507. The day began with Skelton £68,483 ahead but once Gaelic Warrior sauntered away with the Oaksey Chase for Paul Townend, with stablemates Appreciate It, Gentleman De Mee and Classic Getaway all collecting pounds and pence, we knew what was going to happen. 'We'll just try to have a go next year; it's inevitable now, isn't it?' Skelton asked. His question required no answer. Mullins poked his nose in front when Kitzbuhel finished third in the Select Hurdle before Il Etait Temps, ridden by the trainer's nephew, Danny, produced the riding performance of the afternoon when dismantling 8-15 favourite Jonbon in the Celebration Chase. 'I feel sorry for Dan,' said Mullins, who had become the first Irishman to win this title since Dr Vincent O'Brien in 1954.
Irish Daily Mirror
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sandown race card and tips - list of runners as Mullins and Skelton do battle
It all comes down to the Jumps Finale at Sandown to see who will be crowned champion trainer. Willie Mullins trails Dan Skelton by £68,482 ahead of the final day of the UK Trainers' Championship - but has a top class team heading to the Surrey venue as he aims to retain the title he won 12 months ago. Among them is recent Aintree winners Gaelic Warrior and Gentleman De Mee, as well two-time Champion Chaser Energumene, who faces Jonbon. Kitzbuhel is a short-priced favourite for the Select Hurdle, while Grand National third Grangeclare West is one of ten runners for the Closutton trainer in the bet365 Gold Cup. Here's a full list of the runners and riders, as well as a tip for each race: 1:20pm bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle 1m 7f 216y 1 Give It To Me Oj 4 12 0 Mr Omar Jackson Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn 2 Serious Challenge (IRE) 5 11 13 Martin St Quinton & TheYesNoWaitSorries Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke 3 Wolf Moon 5 11 8 Mrs F Hook Ben Pauling Ben Jones 4 HMS President (IRE) 8 11 8 HP Racing HMS President Alan King Tom Cannon 5 St Pancras 4 11 7 Andrew & Sarah Wates Toby Lawes Kevin Brogan 6 Mythical Moon 5 11 5 The Lee Family, A Stennett & J Wright Alan King Brendan Powell 7 We're Red And Blue 5 11 5 Mr. Patrick Doyle Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr. 8 Kientzheim (FR) 5 11 5 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson James Bowen 9 Sorceleur (FR) ts 5 11 3 John White & Anne Underhill Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 10 Big Ginge (IRE) 5 11 1 Mr J. D. Neild Nigel Twiston-Davies Mr Jamie Neild (7) 11 John Barbour ts 6 11 1 Old Gold Racing 26 Fergal O'Brien Jack Hogan 12 Fasol ts, p 6 11 0 Mr P. J. Vogt and Mr Bryan Drew Paul Nicholls Harry Skelton 13 Quantock Hills (FR) 4 11 0 Jim and Claire Limited Warren Greatrex Paul O'Brien 14 Marche d'Aligre (FR) 4 10 10 Billam Roe Swindell Wilson & the Molds Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan 15 Nardaran (FR) ts, p 4 10 7 Martin Broughton & Friends 2 Paul Nicholls Sean Bowen Tip: Kientzheim 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. 1:50pm bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase 2m 4f 10y 1 Mark of Gold 8 12 0 Stevie Fisher & Friends Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn 2 Insurrection (IRE) ts 8 11 11 Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate - Insurrect Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 3 Bad (FR) bl 6 11 9 Mr D. P. Howden Ben Pauling Ben Jones 4 Riskintheground (IRE) ts 8 11 9 3 Sons Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 5 Mahons Glory (IRE) 9 11 7 C Nightingale & Hold My Beer Partnership Dylan Cunha Lee Edwards 6 Pic Roc (IRE) p 7 11 5 Mrs Emma Kendall Ben Pauling Kielan Woods 7 Inedit Star (FR) 7 10 13 Crossed Fingers Partnership Nick Kent Tom Broughton (5) 8 Eyed ts 8 10 9 Mr Martin Hughes Hughie Morrison Jonathan Burke 9 Classic Anthem (IRE) 7 10 7 The Minions Jim Boyle Sean Bowen Tip: Classic Anthem 2:25pm bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) 2m 6f 164y 1 Appreciate It (IRE) ts 11 11 8 Miss M. A. Masterson W. P. Mullins Ireland Sean O'Keeffe 2 Classic Getaway (IRE) 9 11 8 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins 3 Gaelic Warrior (GER) h,ts 7 11 8 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend 4 Pic D'orhy (FR) ts 10 11 8 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 5 Ga Law (FR) bl 9 11 6 The Footie Partnership Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan 6 Gentleman de Mee (FR) ts 9 11 6 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland Mark Walsh 7 Boombawn (IRE) 8 11 5 Bullen-Smith & Faulks Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 8 Le Patron (FR) ts, p 7 11 5 Mrs E. Avery Gary & Josh Moore David Noonan 9 Hitman (FR) ts, p 9 11 2 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls Freddie Gingell Tip: Gaelic Warrior 3:00pm bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 5f 110y 1 Blueking d'Oroux (FR) 6 11 10 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 2 Gwennie May Boy (IRE) 7 11 10 Ms Gwendoline M Clarke Dan Skelton Charlie Todd 3 Lucky Place (FR) 6 11 10 Mrs G. Van Geest & Mr M. George Nicky Henderson James Bowen 4 Kitzbuhel (FR) h 5 11 8 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend 5 Salver (FR) 5 11 7 Mr Keith Graves Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn 6 Take No Chances (IRE) 7 11 3 Mr Garry Wilson Dan Skelton Harry Skelton Tip: Kitzbuhel 3:35pm bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 99y 1 Edwardstone 11 11 10 Robert Abrey & Ian Thurtle Alan King Tom Cannon 2 Energumene (FR) 11 11 10 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend 3 Harper's Brook (IRE) p 9 11 10 The Megsons Dan Skelton Kielan Woods 4 Il Etait Temps (FR) h,ts 7 11 10 Hollywood Racing & Barnane Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins 5 Jonbon (FR) 9 11 10 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson Mark Walsh 6 Master Chewy (IRE) 8 11 10 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 7 Unexpected Party (FR) ts 10 11 10 O'Reilly MacLennan Tynan Carthy Shanahan Dan Skelton Harry Skelton Tip: Jonbon 4:10pm bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 3m 4f 146y 1 Grangeclare West (IRE) 9 12 0 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland Brian Hayes 2 Minella Cocooner (IRE) 9 11 1 Mr David Bobbett W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins 3 Threeunderthrufive (IRE) ts, p 10 11 0 McNeill Family Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 4 Dancing City (FR) 8 10 11 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland Jonjo O'Neill Jr. 5 High Class Hero 8 10 8 Sullivan Group Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend 6 Victtorino (FR) 7 10 8 Martians Racing Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 7 Monbeg Genius (IRE) ts, p 9 10 5 Martin Tedham & Wasdell Properties Ltd. Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill Richie McLernon 8 Lombron (FR) 6 10 2 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland Rachael Blackmore 9 Olympic Man (FR) h 8 10 2 Mrs Audrey Turley W. P. Mullins Ireland Jonathan Burke 10 Resplendent Grey (IRE) p 7 10 2 Mrs R. J. Skan Olly Murphy Sean Bowen 11 O'Moore Park (IRE) h 8 10 2 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland Sean O'Keeffe 12 Goshen (FR) p 9 10 2 Mr Steven Packham Gary & Josh Moore Niall Houlihan 13 Spanish Harlem (FR) ts, p 7 10 2 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland Sam Twiston-Davies 14 Collectors Item (IRE) bl 8 10 2 Jackdaws Antiques Jonjo & A.J. O'Neill Kevin Brogan 15 Chosen Witness (IRE) h,ts 8 10 2 Monabeg Investments Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland Kevin Sexton 16 King's Threshold (IRE) ts 8 10 2 Sailing to Byzantium Emma Lavelle Ben Jones 17 Transmission (IRE) p 8 10 2 Paul McKeon Neil Mulholland Conor O'Farrell 18 Klarc Kent (FR) p 9 10 2 Mr Colm O'Connell W. P. Mullins Ireland Kieran Callaghan (5) 19 Hoe Joly Smoke ts 7 10 2 Babbitt Racing Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 20 Knockanore (IRE) p 8 10 2 Ms J. Bennett Ryan Potter Freddie Mitchell (3) Tip: High Class Hero 4:45pm bet365 Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 173y 1 Bunting (FR) 5 12 0 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend 2 King Alexander (IRE) 7 11 11 Mr John I Neocleous W. P. Mullins Ireland Brian Hayes 3 Push The Button (IRE) p 6 11 11 Jimmy & Susie Wenman Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 4 Dr Eggman (FR) 7 11 9 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland Danny Mullins 5 Electric Mason (IRE) 6 11 6 KTDA Racing and Mrs Nicola Morris Chris Gordon Freddie Gordon (3) 6 Jump Allen (FR) ts 6 11 4 McSweeney Bros. Quarries Limited W. P. Mullins Ireland Harry Cobden 7 Ike Sport (FR) h,ts, p 7 11 4 The Chosen Few Neil Mulholland Conor O'Farrell 8 Peacenik (IRE) 6 11 0 Mr Nick Elliott Katy Price Shane Quinlan (3) 9 Mostly Sunny (IRE) p 6 10 5 (6lb ex) Mighty Macs Syndicate Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 10 Got Grey (FR) ts 6 10 3 Only Here For The Beer Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell (3) Tip: Bunting
RTÉ News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Willie Mullins undecided on Lossiemouth with Sandown ruled out
Lossiemouth will head to Punchestown having not been declared for Sandown on Saturday – but Willie Mullins is still to decide whether she will take part in a potential all-star clash with Constitution Hill and stablemate State Man or stick to racing against her own sex next week. After victories at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree's Grand National meeting, there was a chance Rich Ricci's talented mare would visit the UK for a third time this spring for the bet365 Select Hurdle as the master of Closutton seeks to retain his British trainers' title. However, she will stay on home soil, with Mullins saying: "She's in both the Champion Hurdle and the Mares' Hurdle at Punchestown and when going through everything, we just felt to be fair to the mare she should probably stay in Punchestown rather than come to Sandown when we also considered being fair to owners and everything. "Rich has been such a great supporter of us and probably helped us get to where we are as he has backed us so much along the way and Lossiemouth was probably one of the first ones I took off the list (for Sandown). "Rich said to me 'if you need her, run her at Sandown, no problem', but she goes to Punchestown and she's in great order and that's the plan at the moment." Lossiemouth was the beneficiary when Constitution Hill came to grief at the penultimate flight in the Aintree Hurdle and a mouthwatering rematch would be a highlight of the Punchestown Festival on the evening of 2 May. Mullins hopes that duel will happen again some day, but with Lossiemouth also holding an entry in the SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle over her preferred two-and-a-half-mile distance on 3 May, all options remain open depending discussions with her owner. Mullins added: "I haven't even looked at the entries yet for Punchestown as I'm concentrating on Sandown and I haven't spoke to Rich about which way to go yet, so it's probably not fair to comment at this stage – but at some stage it will happen I hope." Meanwhile, one Mullins ace set to change tack at Punchestown is Ryanair Chase hero Fact To File, who is poised to drop back to the minimum distance to take on Barry Connell's Cheltenham hero Marine Nationale in the William Hill Champion Chase. When asked about the 29 April Grade One, Mullins said: "That looks a possibility and we're keen to see. Fact To File is such a good jumper and can gain so much ground in the air that I think we will probably have a go at two miles next week."
Leader Live
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Mullins yet to settle on Lossiemouth's Punchestown target
After victories at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree's Grand National meeting, there was a chance Rich Ricci's talented mare would visit the UK for a third time this spring for the bet365 Select Hurdle as the master of Closutton seeks to retain his British trainers' title. However, she will stay on home soil, with Mullins saying: 'She's in both the Champion Hurdle and the Mares' Hurdle at Punchestown and when going through everything, we just felt to be fair to the mare she should probably stay in Punchestown rather than come to Sandown when we also considered being fair to owners and everything. 'Rich has been such a great supporter of us and probably helped us get to where we are as he has backed us so much along the way and Lossiemouth was probably one of the first ones I took off the list (for Sandown). 'Rich said to me 'if you need her, run her at Sandown, no problem', but she goes to Punchestown and she's in great order and that's the plan at the moment.' Lossiemouth was the beneficiary when Constitution Hill came to grief at the penultimate flight in the Aintree Hurdle and a mouthwatering rematch would be a highlight of the Punchestown Festival on the evening of May 2. 🗣️ "[Constitution Hill] did the exact same thing at Cheltenham!" 🗣️ "It's like he lost his concentration AGAIN! He didn't even see the hurdle" 🗣️ "He dived into the middle of the hurdle" The panel analyse Constitution Hill's fall#ITVRacing | @acmulrennan | @mickfitzg — ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 3, 2025 Mullins hopes that duel will happen again some day, but with Lossiemouth also holding an entry in the SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle over her preferred two-and-a-half-mile distance on May 3, all options remain open depending discussions with her owner. Mullins added: 'I haven't even looked at the entries yet for Punchestown as I'm concentrating on Sandown and I haven't spoke to Rich about which way to go yet, so it's probably not fair to comment at this stage – but at some stage it will happen I hope.' Meanwhile, one Mullins ace set to change tack at Punchestown is Ryanair Chase hero Fact To File, who is poised to drop back to the minimum distance to take on Barry Connell's Cheltenham hero Marine Nationale in the William Hill Champion Chase. When asked about the April 29 Grade One, Mullins said: 'That looks a possibility and we're keen to see. Fact To File is such a good jumper and can gain so much ground in the air that I think we will probably have a go at two miles next week.'
