ENGLISH TEXTS
SUCCESS FOR MUL- LINS EQUALS SUC- CESS FOR FRANCE
As Irish-based Willie Mullins closes in on a possible second British Jump Trainers Championship, courtesy of his incredible one-twothree in the Grand National, his accomplishment has to be partially attributed to the French breeding and young horse programme. A successful year for Willie Mullins equals a successful year for the French jumps industry, which has provided the majority of Closutton’ s stable stars in 2025. Of the ten Cheltenham Festival winners achieved by Mullins, seven were Frenchbred and successful in different spheres: from handicap hurdle champion Jimmy Du Seuil( Galiway) to Ryanair Chase( Gr. 1) hero Fact To File( Poliglote). Buying horses from Europe is a tried-andtested method for Mullins, who continues to demonstrate his loyalty to the French system – with both established performers like Lossiemouth( Great Pretender) and up-and-coming stars such as Kopek Des Bordes both heralding from Gallic-based stallions. Even the vanquished heroes represented French interest. State Man( Doctor Dino), who fell at the final flight in a dramatic Champion Hurdle( Gr. 1), started his career with Daniela Mele in France and Galopin Des Champs( Timos), defeated in his search for a historic third
Gold Cup( Gr. 1), has been a flagbearer for German-bred stallion Timos. Seven French-bred winners from ten victories is an incredible strike rate for the Gallic bloodstock industry, yet it was surpassed at Aintree. Of the five Grade 1 events won by Mullins during the three-day meeting, all heralded from Europe, and three further Grade 1s taken by French-bred horses from other yards. It was difficult to pick a‘ best’ from Mullins’ quintet, with all justifying the support and regard held by the Closutton team. Lossiemouth switched back to open company with a victory in the Aintree Hurdle( Gr. 1), Salvator Mundi( No Risk At All) turned around his disappointing Cheltenham result with a TrustATrader Top Novices’ Hurdle( Gr. 1) success and Impaire Et Passe( Diamond Boy) demonstrated his affection for the track in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase( Gr. 1). Although yard favourite I Am Maximus( Authorized) was narrowly denied back-toback victories in the Grand National by stablemate Nick Rockett, two of the top four( I Am Maximus and Iroko) in the‘ race that stops a nation’ hailed from France. Even as the British Jumps Trainers’ Championship draws to a thrilling close, it was French-bred representatives Absurde( Fastnet Rock) and Daddy Long Legs( Almanzor) who picked up valuable prize money by finishing one-two in the Sussex
Champion Hurdle Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton. So whilst the media prepares to lavish deserved praise on the Irish maestro, a trainer is nothing without his horsepower – horsepower which, in part, must be attributed to the established French jumps industry.
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On April 2 nd, during Liberation Day, Donald Trump announced an average 20 % increase in customs tariffs for nearly every country in the world. Some were hit harder than others— 40 % for Switzerland, 34 % for China, but only 10 % for the United Kingdom. Yet, it must be acknowledged that he initially succeeded in achieving his three main objectives: lowering interest rates( the 10- year Treasury Bond dropped below 4 %), weakening the dollar( down 7 % over three months), and bringing down oil prices($ 60 vs. $ 80 per barrel). The latter has prov-
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