Latest news with #WillieMullins
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘He's so slick' – Willie Mullins' potential next superstar slashed to joint-fav for Cheltenham after ‘impressive' debut
A POTENTIAL Willie Mullins superstar the trainer has dubbed 'so slick' has been slashed for Cheltenham after just one run. The brilliantly-bred Davy Crockett was an easy winner on his hurdles debut at Galway on Monday. 1 Owner JP McManus, left, and trainer Willie Mullins, right, with Mark Walsh after Davy Crockett won well on his hurdles debut at Galway Credit: Sportsfile Sent off just 1-2 under jockey Mark Walsh, Davy Crockett, who is by Guineas and Derby winner Camelot and out of Mullins' awesome Annie Power, won by two-and-a-half lengths. He extended well when out in the clear but still left plenty of room for improvement in the jumping department. Mullins liked what he saw though - and so did bookies, as they cut him to 14-1 joint-fav from as big as 33s for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Davy Crockett, who is owned by JP McManus and Susan Magnier and a half-brother to dual Grade 1 winner Mystical Power, heads the market for the Festival opener next March with Mullins' Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever. While he could revert to the Flat, Mullins confirmed his more immediate future lies over hurdles. And he set out an early target his team will work back from - possibly with a view to rocking up at Cheltenham next March. The Closutton boss told Racing TV: "For a horse only having his second run on a track, he was very good. "He was so slick with his jumping apart from at the second last. Most read in Horse Racing "Those novices are so fast, he was going faster than the others and he just missed it. "But he was perfect at the last and he looks a real nice prospect with his pedigree. "I want to plan a path to the (Grade 2) Royal Bond in November. "He's not the biggest horse - not a chasing type - but he looks a real hurdler. "He's more a Flat/hurdle type horse and maybe we could go back on the Flat with him. "But the way he jumped there I'd say he'll make a fine hurdler. "A lot of horses in his position would have thrown in the towel after the sticky jump but he didn't." Gold Cup-winning jockey Walsh was just as complimentary. He said: "He was a bit novicey. We were trapping down to the second last and Davy Crockett got a bit unsighted and just galloped into it. "I loved the way he picked up after that and winged the last. Plenty of improvement likely. "He had been keen in his bumper but settled grand until he got a bit lit up in second half of the race. "He'll learn in time, he's not a big horse but there's an engine in there." 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: Read more on the Irish Sun 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.
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘He's so slick' – Willie Mullins' potential next superstar slashed to joint-fav for Cheltenham after ‘impressive' debut
The trainer has already identified his top target CROCKETT ROCKET 'He's so slick' – Willie Mullins' potential next superstar slashed to joint-fav for Cheltenham after 'impressive' debut Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A POTENTIAL Willie Mullins superstar the trainer has dubbed 'so slick' has been slashed for Cheltenham after just one run. The brilliantly-bred Davy Crockett was an easy winner on his hurdles debut at Galway on Monday. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Bred in the purple, Davy Crockett (Camelot x Annie Power) strikes at short odds in the @Galway_Races Festival opener for for Willie Mullins, Mark Walsh and JP McManus 🥇 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 28, 2025 1 Owner JP McManus, left, and trainer Willie Mullins, right, with Mark Walsh after Davy Crockett won well on his hurdles debut at Galway Credit: Sportsfile Sent off just 1-2 under jockey Mark Walsh, Davy Crockett, who is by Guineas and Derby winner Camelot and out of Mullins' awesome Annie Power, won by two-and-a-half lengths. He extended well when out in the clear but still left plenty of room for improvement in the jumping department. Mullins liked what he saw though - and so did bookies, as they cut him to 14-1 joint-fav from as big as 33s for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Davy Crockett, who is owned by JP McManus and Susan Magnier and a half-brother to dual Grade 1 winner Mystical Power, heads the market for the Festival opener next March with Mullins' Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever. While he could revert to the Flat, Mullins confirmed his more immediate future lies over hurdles. And he set out an early target his team will work back from - possibly with a view to rocking up at Cheltenham next March. The Closutton boss told Racing TV: "For a horse only having his second run on a track, he was very good. "He was so slick with his jumping apart from at the second last. "Those novices are so fast, he was going faster than the others and he just missed it. "But he was perfect at the last and he looks a real nice prospect with his pedigree. "I want to plan a path to the (Grade 2) Royal Bond in November. "He's not the biggest horse - not a chasing type - but he looks a real hurdler. "He's more a Flat/hurdle type horse and maybe we could go back on the Flat with him. "But the way he jumped there I'd say he'll make a fine hurdler. "A lot of horses in his position would have thrown in the towel after the sticky jump but he didn't." Gold Cup-winning jockey Walsh was just as complimentary. He said: "He was a bit novicey. We were trapping down to the second last and Davy Crockett got a bit unsighted and just galloped into it. "I loved the way he picked up after that and winged the last. Plenty of improvement likely. "He had been keen in his bumper but settled grand until he got a bit lit up in second half of the race. "He'll learn in time, he's not a big horse but there's an engine in there." 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.
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘He's so slick' – Willie Mullins' potential next superstar slashed to joint-fav for Cheltenham after ‘impressive' debut
A POTENTIAL Willie Mullins superstar the trainer has dubbed 'so slick' has been slashed for Cheltenham after just one run. The brilliantly-bred Davy Crockett was an easy winner on his hurdles debut at Galway on Monday. 1 Sent off just 1-2 under jockey Mark Walsh, Davy Crockett, who is by Guineas and Derby winner Camelot and out of Mullins' awesome Annie Power, won by two-and-a-half lengths. He extended well when out in the clear but still left plenty of room for improvement in the jumping department. Mullins liked what he saw though - and so did bookies, as they cut him to 14-1 joint-fav from as big as 33s for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Davy Crockett, who is owned by JP McManus and Susan Magnier and a half-brother to dual Grade 1 winner Mystical Power, heads the market for the Festival opener next March with Mullins' Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever. While he could revert to the Flat, Mullins confirmed his more immediate future lies over hurdles. And he set out an early target his team will work back from - possibly with a view to rocking up at Cheltenham next March. The Closutton boss told Racing TV: "For a horse only having his second run on a track, he was very good. "He was so slick with his jumping apart from at the second last. "Those novices are so fast, he was going faster than the others and he just missed it. "But he was perfect at the last and he looks a real nice prospect with his pedigree. "I want to plan a path to the (Grade 2) Royal Bond in November. "He's not the biggest horse - not a chasing type - but he looks a real hurdler. "He's more a Flat/hurdle type horse and maybe we could go back on the Flat with him. "But the way he jumped there I'd say he'll make a fine hurdler. "A lot of horses in his position would have thrown in the towel after the sticky jump but he didn't." Gold Cup-winning jockey Walsh was just as complimentary. He said: "He was a bit novicey. We were trapping down to the second last and Davy Crockett got a bit unsighted and just galloped into it. "I loved the way he picked up after that and winged the last. Plenty of improvement likely. "He had been keen in his bumper but settled grand until he got a bit lit up in second half of the race. "He'll learn in time, he's not a big horse but there's an engine in there." 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:
Sky News
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Sky News
'I won £500k for one race': Inside the life, and finances, of a jockey
If you've ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it's really like. This week we chat to Harry Skelton, National Hunt jockey and winner of the David Power Jockeys' Cup... Jockeys are self-employed, so your pay can be up and down depending on your results... We get a flat rate fee of around £200 a ride and then if you win or place, you get additional prize money. About 8% of the winning pot goes to the jockey. We generally get paid to train and exercise horses in the morning, too. For me, a typical day is a bit different... because I'm very much involved in the training and running of the yard. My brother Dan Skelton is a renowned trainer and only narrowly missed out on becoming Champion Trainer last year when losing on the final day to Willie Mullins, so on non-racing days I'll be up at 5.30am before stopping for an hour at 1pm, before going back to the horses riding out, schooling horses and organising the training before stopping about 5.30pm. On racing days... I'll be up at the same time and immediately riding out before heading off to wherever that day's racing is, sometimes three to four hours away. Most of the time I'll be home by about 7pm but sometimes it can get up to 10pm before I'm home. I don't have a particular pre-race routine... and not anything superstitious, but I just want to be sure that I'm prepared for each race as much as possible, and I'll always do my homework on that. I don't get any expenses... everything is a cost to the jockey. Tom Messenger, who works for us, does most of the driving, but there's a lot of time spent in the car. I was two when I first sat on a horse... I have always ridden, but not all jockeys need to start that young. My first job was as an amateur jockey at Richard Hannon's yard when I was 16. You have to be determined. You must want to win in this job. I run as a business, so all my prize money goes into there... It's just a question of trying to keep building that up. The David Power Jockeys' Cup was a new competition for jump jockeys last season, with a first-place prize of £500k, which I was lucky enough to win. I haven't paid tax on it yet, but if you're paying big tax bills, it means you're earning plenty, so even though they're a pain when it comes to paying them, I'd rather be paying them than not. I haven't bought myself anything out of that prize yet, but I will be putting on a big party to say thank you to everyone who has supported me. I do have a pension and investments ready to go... but I think I'll be busier in retirement than I am now. My message to horse racing critics is... there's a lack of understanding about what goes on behind the scenes. I've been involved in horses my entire lifetime, along with a lot of other people, and we do it because we love the horses. The sport has a fantastic event in August called National Racehorse Week, where the public can come to visit training yards for free and meet the racehorses and people who look after them. The biggest misconception about my role is... that jockeys must be seriously tough and resilient. The falls and injuries that go with the job aren't easy to bounce back from. Jockeys require a very high level of strength and fitness. It's true that if you are shorter, you will be a bit lighter... which will make life easier as a jockey. I'm 5ft 7in. When choosing a horse... I always like to see a good head carriage and good, strong ears. If I could change one thing about the industry... I would change the amount of jump racing through the summer, which would allow for more downtime. Winning sponsorship deals is... ultra-competitive, and I now have someone who helps me with that sort of stuff. There are lots of generous sponsors who want to get involved in the sport and when they come knocking, you greet them with open arms. It's a very big family in the weighing room... and we really look out for one another. We also travel a lot together to the races, but it is ultra-competitive. When that flag goes down and the tape goes back, you want to win - it's sport. There are winners and there are losers, but that's the way it is.
Irish Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway Races Tuesday tips: Robbie Power's selections for day 2 at Ballybrit
Slieve Binnian is fancied to make it three wins on the spin in today's feature race at the Galway Races, the COLM QUINN BMW Mile Handicap at 6.40. It looked like he won with a bit in hand at Leopardstown last time out, having triumphed at the Curragh the time before that. This five-year-old has been very consistent this season, having been placed in his two previous runs before those victories and he looks a super each-way bet in what is always a very competitive contest. Tony Martin always has to be feared in Galway so you'd have to be mindful of Orandi in the same race. However, this will be a tough contest for young jockey Jimmy Dalton, who claims ten pounds off Orandi, and I think Slieve Binnian might just be the one here for David Marnane and Luke McAteer. Just like yesterday, Willie Mullins, JP McManus and Mark Walsh start today with a well-fancied runner in the first, the COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle at 5.05. The trainer also runs La Note Verte, who is aiming for her fourth successive win. Vicar Street is a well bred gelding out of Galileo by Vroum Vroum Mag and won a maiden hurdle at Roscommon earlier this month. Although he may need to improve a bit on that to win here. Emily Love of Gordon Elliott has been on a roll, having won her last four starts and I'm going to give slight preference to her over Vicar Street. Gordon Elliott (Image: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo) The Latin Quarter Beginners Chase (5.37) is a very competitive beginners chase for this time of year. King Of Kingsfield was a high class hurdler, rated 144 over the smaller obstacles, but I'm going to oppose him. He's a funny kind of horse that likes to make the running so I'm going to go with My Great Mate for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. He hasn't been seen since finishing fourth behind The Yellow Clay last December, but was a winner of a novice hurdle around here last October and is interesting on his debut over fences. I also like Thenandnow for Jessica Harrington, one of two runners for the yard in the Fillies Maiden at 6.07. It's been a frustrating season for the Harrington camp, with their horses just not firing on all cylinders, but Thenandnow has a bit of experience, having finished second on debut at Leopardstown. Jessica Harrington (Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie) I expect her to build on that and take the third race on the card under Shane Foley. And the combination of Harrington and Foley could make it a double on the card with Collecting Coin in the Caulfield Industrial Irish EBF Maiden at 7.15. He was second on his last start at the Curragh when only beaten a neck by Fingerpaint and was third the time before that, on debut at Cork. This doesn't look the strongest of maidens and that form should be strong enough to win it. Alpha Capture for Willie Mullins is down towards the bottom of the weights in the seven-furlong handicap at 7.50. He was a beaten favourite on his last start at Killarney when finishing seventh behind Evening Blossom a couple of weeks ago. He had a good run before that when second to Tachos in a Leopardstown handicap and I'd be very respectful of his chances here, with Seamie Heffernan onboard. And Everylittlestep is fancied to win the last for trainer Yvonne Latta, with Gary Carroll taking the ride. It was a good run from this mare last time out when second to Faoladh at Leopardstown. Connections have had this race in mind ever since and that's my tip to end proceedings on day two. Bet of the day - Every Little Step - 8.20
