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Moehat,that should’ve been Implemented years ago.
One race shouldn’t hold so much weight in a championship. It’s pretty much undone 2 years hard work for the Skeltons.
He brings over the big guns for the big Spring Festivals, and rakes in the huge prize money – and becomes champion.
The first 2/3 of the season are meaningless for the Trainers title, as the prize money is so dire. In most other sports, the early part of the season is as important as the final part; but not in NH racing……
It’s the equivalent of being in the relegation zone until Feb, and then becoming Champions because they hand out 12 points for a win from then onwards.
NH racing’s answer to Man City……has far more resources than all the others, so it’s obvious he wins; and isn’t as great an achievement as is made out to be.
racing’s answer to Man City…
A bit harsh to compare Mullins yard to a club that has cheated it’s way to the top
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Training 10 winners at Cheltenham and 8 winners at Aintree is quite a good achievement in my book.
British racing has loaded most of the big money races towards the end of the season. That is not Mullins’s fault.
Congratulations to Willie but if he can do it without winning the National, I’ll then say it’s an amazing achievement.
I think the year he almost beat Nicholls was the greater feat.
Agree GM. He almost certainly would have won if Vautour had stayed on his feet at Aintree.
As I posted earlier, I do think there is an issue with the value of the Grand National. And I think it is unfortunate that the People’s Race is now being dominated by big stables. But again, the amount of prize money is not Mullins’s fault. Nor is the reduction in the number of runners to 34.
To be fair to Willie he targets the backend of the season in Ireland too its not unique to us. Everyone knows if one of Williie’s gets beat on their debut over hurdles or fences its no big deal. Everything before the DRF probably is not very important to the yard.
There were early season Grade 1s here to be won where Willie doesnt send much over and unfortunately for Skelton and Nicholls they didn’t win the Betfair Chases, King George, Tingle Creek… I could go on. Those Grade 1s would have been worth a fair bit I’d have thought.
70k ish difference in prize money for Grey Dawning not winning the Betfair Chase. There will be other examples of twists and turns throughout the season where Mullins wasnt even involved at all in thee outcome. If you get far enough ahead before Cheltenham then he can’t get you, especially as he probably doesn’t even bother with Ayr or Sandown if hes got no chance after Aintree.
It’s not just the Spring Festivals being given far too much weight in the Trainers title but also taking into account the prize money for horses that have been beaten which Mullins takes full advantage of by swamping races with his runners.
Just score each race by the winner alone and Class of race won.
Quelle Farce wrote two days ago:
“Had State Man not fell at the last on the CH, Mullins would be so far clear that he’d not have bothered with Sandown.”Yes, that would have been another 255k for Willie and the battle already decided after Aintree (and Ayr).
When N Collonges won the Grand National, Paul Nicholls said, “that’s blown Nicky Henderson out of the water.” I don’t recall disapproval of the prize-fund at that time….
Amazing feat to win with Il Etait Temps after such a long break.
I do agree that the NH season in both Britain and Ireland is too heavily spring-loaded.Why should winning the Grand National (one race) be worth more than winning approx 125 Class 5 races in the trainers title? I know which one is the bigger achievement throughout a season and it ain’t the former.
RTB “Cheltenham fell during the winter”
Not strictly true RTB.
In meteorology, Spring is defined as starting on March 1st and ending on May 31st.The astronomical definition of spring, based on the vernal equinox (which occurs around March 20th), varies slightly year on year.
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