ENGLISH TEXTS to the Flat Though the Closutton trainer has more than 4,500 wins to his name as of October 13, 2025, making him Ireland’ s most prolific trainer ahead of fellow countryman Aidan O’ Brien, it is often forgotten that over 350 of those have come on the flat. The Irish master is not“ only” the king of NH racing. Among his achievements on the level, Wicklow Brave’ s victory in the Irish St Leger( Gr. 1) in 2016 stands out, ridden by star Italian jockey Frankie Dettori, who held off Aidan O’ Brien’ s champion Order of St George. In 2024, Vauban brought him a second major win in the Gr. 2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York. More recently, he captured the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap, during the prestigious festival of the same name, worth £ 300,000 to the winner, with Ethical Diamond under William Buick. He had already taken that race in 2023 with Absurde, edging out John Gosden, and in 2015 with Max Dynamite. A true globetrotter, Mullins’ finest flat achievements probably came with Max Dynamite, runner-up and then third in“ the race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup, in 2015 and 2017. Though he narrowly missed that elusive Australian prize, he did claim two wins in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes( Gr. 3) at Flemington, in 2019 and 2020, with True Self. The daughter of Oscar continued her string of international successes the following year in Riyadh, winning the Neom Turf Cup, then a conditions race worth £ 437,000 now upgraded to Group 2 status. The“ FR” Shin Emperor has since won the most recent edition, a few months after finishing runner-up in the Japan Cup. On that day, True Self had beaten none other than Channel Maker, a multiple Group 1 winner in North America.
Willie Mullins, the Amateur Jockey Like his son Patrick after him, Willie Mullins first enjoyed a prolific career as an amateur jockey, credited with over 500 wins. He began riding as an amateur while still a student and claimed his first Cheltenham Festival victory in 1982. Holder of three wins at Prestbury Park, he captured the Foxhunters at Aintree in 1983 aboard Atha Cliath, becoming the first Irish horse ever to win the race. Thirteen years later, Mullins won the Cheltenham Bumper riding Wither Or Which, a horse he also trained himself. In that Group 1 contest for four- to sixyear-olds, the most prestigious in its division, Willie Mullins also holds the record for the most wins as a trainer, with 14 victories. And if you’ re wondering who holds the record as a jockey, it’ s once again a“ Mullins”- his son Patrick, who has won the race four times.
Willie & Jackie Mullins, the Breeders Although their success as breeders doesn’ t quite match Willie’ s achievements as a trainer, the breeding operation of Willie and Jackie Mullins is not to be underestimated. Sixhills, a mare originally purchased to race in England, was found to have a tendon injury upon arrival at the Mullins’ yard. They decided to keep her as a broodmare. A cornerstone of Jackie Mullins’ breeding programme, Sixhills has produced four Galway Festival winners, including Mt Leinster, also placed in the Gr. 1 Pharma Novice Hurdle, while her best offspring remains Blackstairmountain. Born in 2005, by Imperial Ballet, he gave the family one of its greatest thrills with victory in the 2013 Nakayama Grand Jump, one of the richest jump races in the world. Sixhills has produced seven winners, four of them Stakes performers; besides the two already mentioned, Allure Of Illusion finished third in a Group 2 at Aintree. Another notable success is Ashroe Diamond, bred by Jackie and trained by Willie. With six wins from 13 starts, including the Gr. 1 Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse, she also finished third in the Gr. 1 Coolmore N. H. Sires Bolshoi Ballet Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle, behind two other stablemates: Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau. Her dam, Saine d’ Esprit, was purchased for € 15,000 at the 2014 Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale and is a half-sister to Quel Esprit, winner of the Hennessy Gold Cup.
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PART 2: WINNING ALLIANCES
Willie Mullins is also closely related with some of the most iconic racing silks in England and Ireland. Whether they are green and gold, maroon and white, red and blue, pink and green, green and blue or yellow and black, it is impossible to dissociate them from the success of the Irish master.
GIGGINSTOWN HOUSE STUD
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