Mullins splits over training fees

Champion trainer and Gigginstown House Stud go their separate ways

Willie Mullins will no longer be training for Gigginstown House Stud.

Ireland’s perennial champion trainer, Mullins’ dominance of the sport is so great he was nearly crowned the leading handler in Britain last season and was only denied by Paul Nicholls on the final day.

Gigginstown have been the growing force in National Hunt racing in recent years and claimed the owners’ championship in

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Ireland for the fourth time during 2015-16.

However, the parties have agreed to go their separate ways after Mullins raised his training fees and Gigginstown, which is run by Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary and his brother, Eddie, refused to pay the new rate.

Gordon Elliott, who trainedDonCossack to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for Gigginstown in March, will be one of the trainers to benefit from the split.

Mullins said: “We’re parting company – it’s basically over fees. Iputupmy fees for the first time in 10 years and Gigginstown chose not to pay them. I’m not willing to try to maintain the standards I have without putting the fees up, so that’s the way it is.”

The combination have enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success with the likes of Sir Des Champs and Don Poli in previous years, while Valseur Lido, Outlander and the hugely promising Apple’s Jade all achieved big-race success in the maroon and white silks last term.

Of all National Hunt trainersonboth sides of the Irish Sea, though, Mullins is possibly best placed to cope with the loss of 60 horses.

His horses such as Annie Power, Faugheen and Douvan all wear the pink and green colours of Rich Ricci, while Graham Wylie can also look forward to the season thanks to Yorkhill, Bellshill and others.

Mullins added: “Everyone that comes into my yard is treated the same. I see enough people going to the wall in Ireland all the time. We’ve evolved our methods of training, which obviously costs a lot, and we’re not prepared to sacrifice that.

“They’ve been very good to us over the years, they’ve bought some fantastic horses and there’s a fantastic team of horses going to whoever is going to get them, I don’t know where they are going to go.

“Whoever gets the horses will be a big challenge to me being champion trainer, they are a fantastic team of horses”.

“It’s basically over fees. I put up my fees for the first time in 10 years”

Willie Mullins