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If he had a physical issue after Xmas then they maybe didn’t get enough work into him , to many rumours around for something not to be true
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
A rumour is if he makes it to the Gold Cup 2027 then Final Demand will be ridden by Patrick Mullins ..
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Don’t see Final Demand as a Gold Cup horse, if anything I think he would be better suited dropping back to 2½m like Allaho – he has a very high cruising speed, which would be better utilised by letting him bowl along on the front instead of trying to hang on to him to get the trip.
I believe Kitzbuhel would have beaten him even further had they gone another furlong and of the two I think Kitzbuhel would have a much better chance in a Gold Cup being that he is still only 6, so should still have some development to come physically.
A true Paul Townend masterpiece. Check out his ride on Selma De Vary in the G1 Prix Alain Du Breil at Auteuil today. Returned a nice 11/2 with the French Tote as well.
It sure was Ruby.
One of the best rides you’ll ever see. I was thinking ”what the hell are you doing man” at one point but he knew exactly what he was doing and got his fractions down to perfection.
He completely outrode the French at their own track.
I was the lunatic on the rail about a furlong out. The TV footage does not capture just how bad the rain was…and it got worse. I am not sure how much of that afternoon’s form will hold up. Townend seemed to have an eye for where the better ground was which the home jockeys lacked.
Just watched the replay, nothing exceptional about Townend’s ride. He rode the middle of the track, but followed a couple of local riders in doing so. Anyone who watches racing at Auteuil on a regular basis know that riders frequently come down the middle of the back straight or towards the outside rail (similar to Fontwell).
In the last 250 yards, he failed to keep his horse on a straight line and nearly (maybe he did) impeded the 2nd pushing the horse towards the left. He failed to switch his whip to his left hand to keep his horse straight, just kept hitting right-handed and moving left. Fortunately, Auteuil has a very wide straight, but it got a bit tight as they went away from the bushes along the inside before it opened up in the last 150 yards or so. True, the 2nd didn’t have to stop riding, but Townend definitely took his ground by moving left. I suppose if you can get away with it, do so, but after what happen in last year French 2000 Guineas, I wouldn’t take too many liberties.
Look, it was a Mullins horse, usually the best horse in the race. Mullins would not be a dominant in France, but would win his share. The French want him to send horses over, so the scrutiny would not be as great; and the second was not from a top yard, so….
For me, Townend is a capable rider and this ride was sufficient to get the prize. Without the support of Mullins, he would be just another journeyman rider.
”Mullins would not be a dominant in France, but would win his share.”
Are you for real. He could dominate France even more so than UK/Ireland if he wished. UK/Ireland is the best jumps racing in the world.
Are you for real. He could dominate France even more so than UK/Ireland if he wished. UK/Ireland is the best jumps racing in the world.
Mullins is in a different league. It might take him a few years to get going in France, but I’m sure he’ll understand quite fast what’s needed to win the big races at Auteuil or Compiègne and maybe Fontainebleau. Looking at the yesterday’s Grand Steeple field I have to say it was full with course specialists, but none of them would get close to a prime GDC or GW.
Apart from that, if Townend would be just another journeyman without Willie, what about the rest? It took Jack Kennedy ages to stay healthy for one entire NH season and he did well under the circumstances, but who else is there in IRE who’d come close to Townend? There is Bowen in GB, but he is no big race jockey. The only British jockey gaining ground on PT is most likely Harry Skelton.
“Are you for real. He could dominate France even more so than UK/Ireland if he wished.”
Then why doesn’t he?
“UK/Ireland is the best jumps racing in the world.”
No one can dispute the quality of jumps trainers and riders in the UK and Ireland, but it is not the best. The “best” is where the money is and for jumps racing, that is France; and that won’t change any time soon. Maybe when the UK/Ireland dump wagering through bookmakers and there is a complete tote monopoly that is mandated to kick back a significant portion of the turnover to an increased levels of purse distribution, then maybe they might be competitive with the French.
Sure Mullins is in a different league when it come to racing in the UK and Ireland, but in France he may struggle to keep up with the likes of:
Lageneste & Macaire
Chailiie-Chaille
Leenders
Nicolle
Mele
Clayeux
George & Zetterholm
Just to name a few.And for what it’s worth, Mullins can thank the superb pipeline of French recruits that were given their foundation there. I don’t have the time or energy to list the extensive number of horses purchased out of French yards that Mullins (and other trainers in the UK/Ireland) can attribute his/their success too.
Gents – I wish it wasn’t the case and I have immense respect for the jumps racing product in the UK and Ireland, but they have some “catching up” to do.
“No one can dispute the quality of jumps trainers and riders in the UK and Ireland, but it is not the best. The “best” is where the money is and for jumps racing, that is France; and that won’t change any time soon.”
How come Gold Tweet got whupped 30 lengths in the gold cup then? How come the French don’t cruise over here in March and clean up as a warm up for their meetings? Mullins has probably won more G1s in France than this lot:
Lageneste & Macaire
Chailiie-Chaille
Leenders
Nicolle
Mele
Clayeux
George & Zetterholm
have in GB & Ire put togetherThe money and the best are not always in the same place. Mishriff won the Saudi Cup and had race career earning about 4 times that of Frankel- whoopee doo , his stud fee is €12.5k which is no more than his ability was worth- very good, but not a superstar. He won the Juddemonte well but got spanked on his other 7 attempts in G1 races in the UK and Ire.
Saudi Arabia must be the best football league worldwide
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Also, if French jumps racing is so good why aren’t their cast off second rate jockeys coming over here and walking into the best jobs and walloping Sean Bowen et al every day of the week?
Forum members – please forgive the odd grammatical or spelling errors.
It’s not my intention to “highjack” a Paul Townend thread to pull back the curtain on Willie Mullins success at the hands of the French, but since I find myself with a little extra time on my hands, I thought I would validate my previous post.
Willie’s all-time top earners (source Google AI, not inclusive):
Galopin Des Champs (FR) – bought out of A Chaille-Chaille’s yard.
Hurricane Fly (IRE) – bought out of J-L Pelletran’s yard.
Un De Sceaux (FR) – bought out of F Foucher’s yard.
State Man (FR) – bought out of Daniela Mele’s yard.
Energumene (FR) – bought from an Irish points trainer.
Thousand Stars (FR) – originally with two French trainers obtained from a nondescript Irish trainer.
Faugheen (IRE) – Private Irish purchase.
I Am Maximus (FR) – transferred from Nicky Henderson.
Vauban (FR) – bought out of P Decouz’s yard.
Quevega (FR) – bought out of B De Watrigant’s yard.So just from that list: 8 of 10 are French bred/recruits.
Willie’s top earners for 25/26 in Ireland/UK (Racing Post):
Galopin Des Champs (FR) – bought out of A Chaille-Chaille’s yard.
Lossiemouth (FR) – bought out of Yannick Fouin’s yard.
Gaelic Warrior (GER, FR sire/dam) bought out of H De Lageneste & G Macaire’s yard.
Fact To File (FR) – JP purchase from Irish points.
Il Etait Temps (FR) – bought out of Emmanuel Clayeux’s yard.
Majborough (FR) – bought out of Daniela Mele’s yard.
Doctor Steinberg (IRE) – bought as unbrokenstore horse at auction.
Narciso Has (FR) – bought out of M Rolland’s yard.
Place De La Nation (FR) – bought out of Yannich Fouin’s yard.
Spanish Harlem (FR) – bought out of Gabriel Leenders’ yard.
Kalix Delabarriere (FR) – prepped for sale by French breeders, sold at Goff’s auction.
Kaid d’Authie (FR) – bought out of Daniela Mele’s yard.
King Rasko Grey (FR) – prepped for sale by French breeders, sold at Goff’s auction.
Dinoblue (FR) – prepped for private sale by French breeders.
I Am Maximus (FR) – transferred from Nicky Henderson
Kitzbuhel (FR) – bought out of D Sourdeau De Beauregard’s yard.
Kargese (FR) – bought out of D Sourdeau De Beauregard’s yard.
Gold Dancer (FR) – bought out of A Chaille-Chaille’s yard.
Apolon De Charnie (FR) – bought out of Yannich Fouin’s yard.From this list 16 French bred, 1 German (FR sire/dam), 1 Irish, 0 Uk. 16 of 18 were recruited from French trainers.
This isn’t even a close call. The French are easily “top of the table” when it comes to Jumps racing.
Also, if French jumps racing is so good why aren’t their cast off second rate jockeys coming over here and walking into the best jobs and walloping Sean Bowen et al every day of the week?
Easy, because it is not financially worth it. Why would they come to the UK/Ireland and ride for pennies. You could say the same thing concerning owners and trainers not shipping many to Cheltenham and I don’t think any to Punchestown. Just not cost effective. Maybe ask James Reverley, Felix de Giles, and Bryony Frost why they are riding in France?
A better question to ask is why are there not more top flight riders in the UK/Ireland not trying to transition to ride in French yards?
Yes, the source is quite obvious. But, it’s Willie who made the horses what they are. There are numerous GB and IRE based trainers who buy from the very same sources, but have yet to train a Festival winner.
I doubt that Nicky would have won two Nationals with I Am Maximus. There is no way he would have let him race that many times. Willie is someone willing to take more risks than others when it comes to campaigning a horse. Gaelic Warrior is a prime example. How many owners/trainers would have gone the same route they did last season?
Running Selma De Vary in the French Triumph was a well planned move and it paid off.No doubt Arnaud Chaille-Chaille is an outstanding trainer, but if he’s sure about the material he has, why bother selling it instead of coming over to England for the big meetings? The French raiders we saw over the past ten years looked nothing out of the ordinary and I’ll stick to what I’ve said: It’s Willie who makes them what they became.
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