MULLINS STUNS WITH SIX WINS
PHILIP QUINN
WILLIE MULLINS was braced for a long night at the Lord Bagenal Inn in Leighlinbridge after three hours of ‘fantasy racing’ at Punchestown.
‘I don’t think I’ll get out of my local after this,’ quipped Mullins after a record-breaking six-timer at staggering odds of 9,802/1.
Between the second race at 4.20pm and the finale at 7.15pm, which included three successive Gade Ones, Mullins’ runners blazed a trail of unforgettable fire across the Kildare plains.
No one in the 19,073 crowd had ever witnessed anything like it at this high-calibre jumping Festival, and even Mullins acknowledged the enormity of his achievement.
‘To win six races on Gold Cup day is the stuff of dreams. It’s fantasy racing, for want of a better word,’ he said.
Between them, the Mullins horses banked €500,000 in win and place money, to add to their opening day return of €350,000, as the race for the Irish trainer’s title took an improbable twist.
After entering the week over €520,000 in winnings behind Gordon Elliott, and the day almost €406,000 back, Mullins now leads by €48,161 — no one would back against him now, not at 1/10 on.
‘I came here under a bit of a cloud and hoping to keep in touch (with Gordon). It’s been an extraordinary day,’ he said.’
At the core of the Mullins story was Paul Townend, whose first day predicament on Al Boum Photo was shelved after he bagged a 54/1 treble on Pravalaguna (11/4), Next Destination (5/4) in a thrilling finish to the Grade One three-miler for novice hurdlers, and Patricks Park (11/2).
Mullins’ nephew David booted home Bellshill (4/1) in the Gold Cup to give Mullins his fourth win in the race and put down a significant marker for the big one at Cheltenham next March — a race he has yet to win.
Son Patrick was a close second on Djakadam, who has been a gallant runner-up for four years in a row now, before going one better on Coolrevy (7/4) in the closing bumper.
In between, Richie Deegan led home a Mullins 1-2-3 on Tornado Flyer (12/1) in the Grade One Champion Bumper for the historic Conyngham Cup.
Asked for the day’s highlight, Mullins played the team card.
‘I’m delighted for Paul Townend, for Patrick, for the owners, especially Graham Wylie who’s had such bad luck this season, and the staff,’ he said.
Wylie cruelly lost Nichols Canyon at Leopardstown at Christmas, has been frustrated by the under-achieving of Yorkhill, and saw Bellshill go so close in the Irish National last month — an appeal against his demotion from fourth to fifth was rejected on appeal on Tuesday.
This was a day for the softlyspoken Geordie to enjoy, even if Bellshill dawdled on the run-in and had less than a length to spare on Djakadam at the post.
‘We’ve had a change of luck at last. Willie thinks he’s a Gold Cup horse. On his last two runs, you’d have to think he is,’ said Wylie.
Watching on, as Mullins winner after winner returned to the unsaddling enclosures, was Elliott, who drew a blank.
Having led the trainer’s title race since May, the Meathman has been pegged back in the straight with the Festival not even halfway through.
He even saw Mullins equal the record six-timer which he set at Navan on ‘Troytown’ day at Navan in November 2016.
Having chinned Mullins at Cheltenham, Fairyhouse and Aintree in the past six weeks, there is time for Elliott to regroup for he still has Samcro in the Champion Hurdle tomorrow, as well as Apple’s Jade and Farclas to fire.
Realistically, he needs all three of them to win and for Henry Dr Bromhead’s Identity Thief to do him in a favour in today’s Stayers Hurdle as the Mullins horses are clearly on a roll.
Mullins also has his slick Cheltenham winner Footpad to come today, and Penhill too, with Melon and Laurina to follow later in the week.
He holds the high ground and is unlikely to yield his hard-earned advantage now. There could be more business for the ‘Lord Bagenal’ come Saturday night.
€48,161 THE amount by which Willie Mullins leads Gordon Elliott in the race for the trainer’s title