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Ciaron Maher in Australia has it is reported 900 horses on his books at 10 locations , earning 50 million Aus dollars since 1st August . Waller be very similar .
Mullins might not have that many but he will have hundreds , these are industrial sized yards nowdays and these guys will pick odd water bucket up on raceday , but generally they are the CEO who sets up the processes , sets the direction and makes the big decisions.
Nichols had no real in depth idea how his horses were after GN when asked in interview after later win , he trusts his raceday staff . He would have been off supervising saddling of next runners which is fair enough .Helcat, what’s the feeling from the other trainers about these big operation units winning the major races (and substantial) prizemoney?
Do Oz punters care who trains the horses if they are run on their merits?
I know it’s not so dominant as Mullins, but from the bit I follow, it’s the same familiar names most times.
There does seem to be a faction that don’t miss an opportunity to be negative regarding Mullins.
When he ran three in the Triumph who were making their NH debuts, there was talk of “utter carnage”, “absolute nonsense”, “utterly bonkers” etc, yet one of those debutantes won the race and the other two both finished.
Yet, when Brian Ellison and Harry Fry do the same in a festival Grade 1……….not a mention.
A business is only as good as the people that work in it , Mullins is the best , he must employ the best and manage them incredibly well … Mr Elliott doesn’t seem at this moment in time to be doing similar , examples of this is his lack of top jockeys …. Would Mullins get photographed sitting on a dead horse …. Mullins deserves his plaudits and a fully expect the Scottish crowd will be lining up for selfies again next weekend
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
“Would Mullins get photographed sitting on a dead horse ….”
I don’t know Willie Mullins and only base my opinion on TV interviews, but I very much doubt he would even sit on a dead horse, let alone be photographed on one!!
On balance, I don’t think Mullins’s “domination” is boring. Maybe domination isn’t quite the right word anyway. As I said earlier, he didn’t train the winner of any of the four feature races at Cheltenham. He didn’t have all the Grade 1 winners at Aintree either.
However, he did dominate the Grand National yesterday and that could become if not boring then a bit unsatisfactory. Cliche or not, the Grand National was seen as the “people’s race” where small trainers and journeymen jockeys had a chance. That era looks like it has gone now, partly due to the changes to the race conditions and to the course but also because of large stables like Mullins and Elliott.
I think it would be unfortunate for the race if it becomes an annual Mullins benefit.
From the “Liverpool Echo”:
“Asked about his son, Mullins Snr replied: ‘Patrick comes in every morning and runs the whole show. He matches all the horses and the riders every morning and I might come up and change one or two things but Patrick could take over.'”
As in Ireland there is a bit of annoyance at the huge yards mopping up at smaller tracks . They have to run them somewhere though . The other metropolitan trainers do very well money wise so they seem happy .
Sydney have a race each week restricted to Country and Provincial trained horses so Waller Maher etc cannot run theirs in those , they are 120k odd a race so plenty money .
Does get a pain at times when Waller has multiple entries in Sydney , Maher spreads his entries more .
Having seem Mullins at Caulfield chatting to punters at saddling area he was total gentlemen , as is Waller who has time for chat to punters if not too busy .
I never get bored watching Mullins horses win .Over the last thirty or forty years Willie Mullins has put the hard yards in and is reaping the rewards, congratulations to him. Sport is a meritocracy and it’s up to the other trainers to pull their fingers out. Said in a post a long time ago that British trainers need to enter and race their horses in Ireland more and not wrap them up in cotton wool. Go and race against the best during the whole season and you might learn a thing or two.
If I was young and wanting to be in the sport then his would be the yard id want to be in , anybody wanting to get ahead in the racing should be learning from him
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
“Said in a post a long time ago that British trainers need to enter and race their horses in Ireland more and not wrap them up in cotton wool.”
Henderson took Lulamba out of a Grade 1 yesterday. Is he going to turn into another one where the Master of Seven Barrows is only prepared to run him unless the ground is absolutely perfect?
…. Yep , Henderson has lost the plot , surely it’s at the point now where owners are going to look elsewhere …
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Taking the rivals to Mullins into consideration:
Elliott: had a Grade 1 winner yesterday but only one winner at Cheltenham (in a handicap) and has fallen behind. Arguably not recovered from the dead horse incident. Not helped by having almost permanently crocked stable jockey.
De Bromhead: still chips in with Grade 1 winners but not got the depth of a few years ago. Notable that his two recent Grade 1s have been in long distance hurdle races, arguably the one category of least interest to Mullins.
Cromwell: clearly the emerging force. Not got the strength in depth yet but certain to get more support from McManus and likely to attract more owners.
Henderson: Constitution Hill no longer looks invincible and is getting older. Fortunate to have the Arkle winner, which was put in its place this week. Withdrew odds on favourite because of the ground yesterday. Looks to me like his two main owners are having their best horses trained elsewhere now. Remains to be seen if Sir Gino can return to anything like his best.
Skelton: got the quantity but light on quality. The New Lion is a serious prospect but Grey Dawning looks short of top class, as does Protektorat now. L’Eau Du Sud looked promising but beaten at both spring festivals. Even his well fancied handicappers did little at Cheltenham and Aintree – perhaps the handicapper is onto him now and doesn’t want another Langer Dan embarrassment?
Nicholls: admits he has had a tough time recently. Did have two Grade 1 novice chase wins at Aintree but neither certain to succeed in open company next season. Went into the Grand National mob handed like Mullins and couldn’t get one in the first eight. Days of winning Gold Cups, Champion Chases and King George’s for fun seem like a long time ago.
“Yep , Henderson has lost the plot , surely it’s at the point now where owners are going to look elsewhere …”
I think that might be starting to happen.
OK, Henderson was not the only trainer to take horses out yesterday. Elliot withdrew Teahupoo at the eleventh hour. But Lulamba was an odds on favourite and receiving weight from horses which didn’t exactly look like world beaters before the race and certainly didn’t afterwards.
Was the ground really that terrible? It looks like another case of ultra cautious, wrap them in cotton wool Henderson striking again.
To my mind, he looks under pressure every time he is interviewed. In contrast to the relaxed demeanour of Mullins.
Skelton and Cromwell are the 2 who you could argue have had good seasons behind Mullins , Elliott poor , Henderson a disaster , Nicholls does the best with what little ammo he has
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
I definitely agree Nicholls is getting the very best out of the horses available. Henderson really needs to get someone to take over the yard. He has muddled thinking and contradicts himself. Mullins is just a master organiser plus of course a great trainer. It’s in the family genes. Dont forget david casey. He is vital to the yard and Willie leaves the bookings and race planning to him. I get the feeling the main thing Willie does is at the sales now. Keeping the conveyor belt going. Patrick seems to run things but I’m sure the final say is Willie’s.
Like Ted Walsh when Ruby won on papillon or aiden and Anne Marie obrien after st nic and Joseph won the breeders Cup no amount of money means as much as your child winning on the big stage. Anybody who has a child who is good at a given sport swell with pride when they do well. Was just a great race and forget the fact Willie dominated. The front three were In a lot of people’s bets. Plus all four group one winners on Thursday weren’t favs. Just a great yard. Time to just accept it and other trainers to step up.
I agree gavin Cromwell will get closer and if Joseph obrien concentrated on the jumps he would be up there too.
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