Latest news with #WillieMullins
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Willie Mullins snaps up ‘promising' new jockey who rode incredible 150-1 winner
WILLIE MULLINS has snapped up a 'promising' new jockey - as an army of new recruits start arriving at his Closutton HQ. Anna McGuinness banged in her first winner for the all-conquering trainer with victory aboard the JP McManus-owned I Am River at Kilbeggan on Sunday. 2 2 Sent off 15-8, the six-year-old made all after 517 days off to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths from Gavin Cromwell's 100-30 In The Trenches. McGuinness came in for praise from McManus' racing manager Frank Berry afterwards. And this success could pave the way to a whole load more rides in the future. She got the leg up on Mullins' A Penny A Hundred in the recent Mayo National at Ballinrobe, finishing third and picking up a cheque for £7,500. Victory on I Am River came on just her third ride for Mullins - who keeps a close eye on Anna when she rides work at his Cork yard. Beaming Berry said: "The horse jumped great and got a lovely ride from Anna. "She got him into a lovely rhythm, and you'd be delighted with him. "Anna is riding out in Willie's and finished third in the Mayo National and couldn't have done better." Incredibly, McGuinness' first ever win came on freak 150-1 outsider Feast in a Downpatrick bumper in July 2023. Labelled a very 'promising' conditional rider, McGuinness has three career wins but will surely bang in a load more given the chance. Her addition to Mullins ' jockey ranks comes as he continues to add fresh talent to his massive squad of horses. Among them is £125,000 point-to-point purchase Bentraghhill. Mullins' trusted right-hand man Harold Kirk gave the winning bid for the 'gorgeous' four-year-old at the sales last week. He comes from Wilson Dennison, who previously owned Mullins stars Yorkhill, Shaneshill and Bellshill. Meanwhile, Audrey Turley, who owns Galopin Des Champs, has sent Looking For Eight to Mullins. And point-to-point winner Arcadian Emperor is another to have arrived recently. That lot will be joined by . . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
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 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. 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:
Irish Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins beats Nicky Henderson to purchase Cheltenham winner for €355,000
The serious jumping action may be on its summer break but that hasn't stopped the juggernaut training duo of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson clashing. It's at this time of the year that trainers look to recruit new talent for the 2025/26 National Hunt season and at the Doncaster sales on Wednesday, the top two trainers in Ireland and the UK locked horns in an attempt to purchase a potentially smart horse. Cheltenham bumper winner Poetisa was the standout name at the Goffs UK Spring Horses in Training and Point-to-Point Sale and not surprisingly both Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson brought their sizable cheque books to buy the filly. Poetisa won a very competitive Cheltenham mares' bumper last month, at odds of 20-1, and connections had opted to sell the Toby Bulgin-trained daughter of Poet's Word. She wasn't long in the sales ring when the Mullins and Henderson camps made their move and began to tussle, with Henderson and his bloodstock agent Jerry McGrath's huge bid of £280,000 (€332,000) looking to have won the argument. But after a long pause, Harold Kirk, long-time talent scout to Willie Mullins, sealed the deal with a bid of £280,000 (€355,000). 'I thought she was gorgeous,' Kirk told the Racing Post. 'She's by a promising young sire and out of an Old Vic mare. She's a Cheltenham winner already and she'll only improve. She was very classy when she won. She's a lovely mare and hopefully she'll go down the mares' route over hurdles as there's a big programme for these mares now. 'She just looked like she had a lot of class. As an individual she's got loads of quality and a great mind. Everybody wants a Cheltenham winner. Okay, it wasn't at the festival but she can do no more than what she's done.' 'I thought she'd make between two (hundred thousand) and 250,000 but there's always going to be somebody else involved. If you're up against Nicky Henderson, you're going to have to be strong. I hope she's lucky now.' Poetisa had been bought by the Bulgins for £42,000 and Nicola Bulgin (wife of trainer Toby) said: She added: 'It was a hell of a price. We came close to selling one for three figures before, but nothing like this. 'Nicky had been down to see her a few times and Willie had been on the phone to Toby about her, so we knew we were in the right place in the market. I have to say, the thrill of her winning still beats this, though.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Willie Mullins buys ‘perfect' £300,000 Cheltenham winner as legendary trainer gets serious in the summer transfer window
WILLIE MULLINS splashed £300,000 on a 'perfect' Cheltenham winner - as his epic squad rebuild picked up pace. The all-conquering Irish and British jumps champion trainer won the bidding for the hugely promising Poetisa. Formerly trained by Toby Bulgin, Poetisa won a mares' bumper at the home of jumps in April. Sent off 20-1 under former champion jockey Brian Hughes, she stayed on well up the hill after meeting trouble to win by a neck. Poetisa commanded a price tag of £42,000 as a three-year-old but her value soared after the Cheltenham victory. And Mullins clearly liked what he saw, with her pedigree suggesting big things lie in store in the future. Poetisa is from the same family as multiple Grade 1-winning superstar Macs Joy. The Jessica Harrington-trained hurdler won over half a million quid from 31 career races, which included nine victories. Famed for his battles with the legendary Brave Inca, Mac's Joy got the better of the former Champion Hurdler several times. Notably a 'tour de force' performance saw the Barry Geraghty-ridden gelding smash his big rival by four lengths in the 2006 Punchestown Champion Hurdle. The Racing Post analysis of Poetisa's debut said: "She made the perfect start she did well to do so too, having not always had the clearest run through. "There's plenty in her pedigree that points to a good future over obstacles." Mullins landed the 1-2-3 in the Grand National last season en route to breaking Dan Skelton's heart in the trainer battle. But the Closutton conveyor belt never stops and his aim will be to bring through the best young talent for the new season. Mullins has already welcomed the 'most exciting' horse to come over from France so far this transfer season. While he and Rich Ricci have snapped up a hugely promising filly who looks just like the next Lossiemouth. While a historic agreement with King Charles means Mullins will have the first horse owned by a reigning monarch to be trained in Ireland. . Remember to gamble responsibly
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
CALUM McCLURKIN: Dante delivered a welcome curve ball but O'Brien still holds the key to Classics
With Aidan O'Brien practically mopping up every single Epsom Derby and Oaks trial for fun, it felt like racing fans were swapping one form of Irish dominance with another. Jumps fans had been accustomed to the sheer volume of sustained success this season by Closutton maestro Willie Mullins. The master of Ballydoyle is threatening to do likewise. O'Brien won the Sandown Classic Trial, the Chester Trial, the Lingfield Trial, the Ballysax and the Leopardstown Derby Trial. Things looked ominous going into York's Dante, which has traditionally been the most significant of Derby trials ahead of the Epsom Classic in three weeks' time. The Lion In Winter was sent off a red-hot favourite in York. O'Brien had warned that his star two-year-old of last season would need the run badly. Punted into 8-11 anyway, the trainer's doubts were proved to be correct. He was far too fresh to do himself justice and finished off a messy race okay when beaten by around four lengths in sixth. The winner 20-1 chance Pride Of Arras who is trained by Ralph Beckett who has had brilliant horses such as Westover and Bluestocking make a splash at the top level in recent years. He probably isn't as fashionable as the other two but he looks a promising colt that can handle the undulations of Epsom and has the tactical speed to make the grade. He won an informative trial in good style and there was no fluke about it. He's the fly in the ointment the race desperately needed. It would be foolish, however, to entirely dismiss the chances of The Lion In Winter on the back of his effort in the Dante. He will come forward plenty from it physically and seems to be a little tricky to train. The genius of O'Brien means those concerns will probably be rendered irrelevant if he takes his chance. City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin left deplorable efforts in the Guineas behind to fulfil their potential and win the Derby. Could The Lion In Winter do likewise? Possibly. But whether he's mentally ready for the test of Epsom is open to question. He might be a bit too backward for a Derby in this stage his career. Team Ballydoyle might opt for the French alternative instead over a shorter distance on a more conventional track, particularly after jockey Ryan Moore said after his Dante effort that he isn't short on pace. It would also give O'Brien extra time to get him in 100-per-cent shape. O'Brien also has Delacroix, who is Derby favourite after winning the Ballysax and Leopardstown trial. The old Galileo and High Chapparal route has served O'Brien reasonably well throughout the years. His claims are obvious as he ticks all the boxes. This Derby seems like a case of Ballydoyle holding most of the cards but maybe not all of the aces. One thing O'Brien will be able to control is tactics depending on whether he runs other trial winners such as Lambourn, Mount Kilimanjaro and Puppet Master. Twain could also stake a claim depending on how the Irish Guineas goes. He could go mob handed in a bid to set a strong pace to enhance the chances of his strong-staying outsiders but it may ask a major stamina question of Godolphin's 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Ruling Court showed a great turn of foot to win a strong Guineas. He looked like a Derby type beforehand and will take his chance at Epsom but an end-to-end gallop over a half mile further will present a completely different challenge. Other each-way players would include Dante second Damysus. Wimbledon Hawkeye was third at York and has consistent Group One form. Green Impact was sixth in the Guineas but looked a Derby type for Jessica Harrington, while Dermot Weld's Purview could be an outsider to not if taking his chance. The shuffling of O'Brien's Derby pack will shape the race significantly but that won't mean he'll necessarily win it. The depth is there to be seen but there are a few others in the mix that can upset the applecart. All the best to true trailblazer Racheal Blackmore after she announced her retirement in the saddle. Her victory on Minella Times in the Grand National in 2021 to become the first female jockey to win the world's most prestigious race was a truly historic moment. She didn't just break through the glass ceiling, she absolutely smashed it and raised the bar for all jumps jockeys no matter their gender. And that's the point. For all the remarkable racehorses she's been associated, no punter in the land would have seen the jockey booking of Blackmore anything other than a massive positive. Her association with A Plus Tard and Honeysuckle was an enduring source of success. Trainers such as Henry de Bromhead, Willie Mullins and Shark Hanlon always supported her and supplied her with the right horses to flourish. Blackmore was a name to transcend racing beyond its bubble and that's no mean feat in this day and age. She was brilliant right to the end, with two masterful waiting rides on Bob Olinger in the Stayers' Hurdle and Terms Of Endearment in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at this year's Cheltenham Festival a testament of her talent in the saddle. My personal favourite was when she snuck up the inside of Paul Townend on Benie Des Dieux to win the 2020 Mares' Hurdle on Honeysuckle. It was a clever, sharp move around the home turn that essentially won the race and sparked a terrific career for a horse and rider that did it all. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK… See The Fire was wildly impressive at York when winning the Middleton Stakes at York but LEAD ARTIST was brave to win a red-hot Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. He battled back gamely to defeat favourite Dancing Gemini, with Rosallion and Notable Speech shaping well in third and fourth on their reappearance runs. The mile division has been a bit thin in terms of depth and quality but if all four reoppose again in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot then another race to savour is on the cards and this division will flip from being one of the weakest to the strongest at the top table. SELECTION OF THE DAY… The Blackbeard Fillies Stakes at Naas (4.03) has been won by some brilliant two-year-olds. The roll of honour includes Alpha Centauri, Meditate, Fairy Godmother and Porta Fortuna. This will be a huge pointer to the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and probably next season's Guineas and Coronation Stakes. Simply Astounding has a bit of a wow factor about her for Aidan O'Brien as does Lady Iman for Ger Lyons. Both are sub 2-1 and there's little reason to see why Joseph O'Brien's GREEN SENSE (5-1, Paddy Power) is a much bigger price as she's made just as strong as an early impression as the other two fillies when winning impressively on debut at the Curragh by three lengths. She's worth backing at the current prices in what will be a very informative race for the future.
