Planes (seven), train and automobiles!
Mullins’ epic quest to help dad win trainers’ crown
ONCE in a lifetime are the words Willie Mullins conjures to describe this historic week and his son, Patrick, sees no reason to disagree.
There will come a point when they can reflect on it all but, for now, Patrick’s head is spinning. Just recounting the logistics of the attempt to wrestle Britain’s Champion Trainer title from Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls is enough to leave you breathless and you will soon see why.
In the last seven days, Patrick — an integral part of his father’s allconquering operation — has taken seven flights, one train journey, covered more than 1,000 miles on the road, sat through a nerveshredding penalty shootout and had the favourite for the Scottish National refuse to race.
‘Good fun, though, isn’t it?’ he says, chirpily, and he’s got a point. How could this pursuit of greatness not be fun?
It’s certainly much more fun than sitting through the torture of the FA Cup semi-final for this Manchester United devotee and there is a wry smile when he recalls his feelings about seeing a 3-0 lead disintegrate against Coventry. It was a reminder of what can happen in sport.
Yes, it is unpredictable — an hour before we speak on Wednesday, Patrick receives a call to tell him he has to go to Perth on Friday — and every morning, between 9am and 10am, Mullins Snr, along with trusted lieutenant David Casey, have decided which horses should be sent to which part of Britain.
Mullins has sent runners to Ffos Las and Perth, as well as Ludlow to try to establish enough of a buffer to deliver what would be a quite incredible achievement. Many talk about the strength in depth at his Closutton yard but there is nothing certain in racing and that point must be stressed.
If all goes to plan at Sandown today, where 10 runners will be saddled, we will witness something genuinely extraordinary.
To put it another way, Willie Mullins hadn’t been born when Vincent O’Brien — a man whose name spans generations — became the last (and only) Irish-based trainer to annexe the trophy in 1954. As a young man who thinks deeply about the sport, none of this is lost on Patrick.
‘The buzz in the yard is incredible. People seem to appreciate us coming over. It’s something new, something rare, isn’t it?’
It certainly is. Now to clear the final hurdle. Then the party can really start.