AS THEY LINED up for the feature Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown today, it felt like Countdown when all eyes are left on Susie Dent.
Two races to go and Willie Mullins had won all five so far. He’d seven runners in the Paddy Power and a hot favourite in the bumper, prompting the hacks to wonder: how many had he won on the same card before?
Someone came up with six winners for the great man on a Punchestown card past but he wasn’t going to better that, out of luck in the big handicap. He’ll still enjoy his signature Armagnac this evening after a day of days, as his win in the bumper brought up a six-timer.
After Blue Lord had taken the feature chase, it was put to Mullins: “Where will the horse go before here and Cheltenham?”
His reply – “I hadn’t thought about things beyond today” – was a reminder that we were in the middle of a trainer doing something hardly anyone will ever do and not everything revolves around Cheltenham.
His mother, Maureen, was moving closer to that of a 39-year-old than her 93 years. “I wasn’t going to leave home without her today,” said her emotional son after what he admitted could be his best day ever racing.
The first National she attended was in 1947. One wonders has she ever been prouder of her most famous son.
“Extraordinary day,” he said. “Our planning department at home deserves all the credit. Between David Casey, Ruby (Walsh) and Patrick, picking out the horses for particular races, and Ben Delmar, our head travelling man. Thanks to everyone.
“We had eight declared in the big race but it was more in hope than expectation so I hadn’t really thought about going through the card.
“They all came home safe and sound though. I was delighted for Eric and Conor McNamara to win that race with Real Steel”, a horse Mullins trained in the past.
Son Patrick, who ensured the six-timer came up with 8-13 Fact To File in the finale, said: “It’s huge. He puts himself under huge pressure. His biggest strength is to get owners and owners to buy the right horses.”
Mullins had both the first (Blue Lord) and third (Chacun Pour Soi) in the pivot race; in the other top-grade race, the novice hurdle, he had the first three home, with the distance back to fourth seeming the equivalent of the time it takes to get through the Angelus.
This all probably isn’t good for racing but as somebody who has owned a horse trained by Mullins and somebody who deals with him regularly, you couldn’t wish it all on somebody more likeable.
Facile Vega, a son of Quevega, looks utterly spectacular and his win, albeit at odds of 2-9, took the breath away.
Really brave at some of his hurdles, watching him is a fusion of awe and admiration, with more than an occasional “ooh” and “aah” along the way. Mullins is already talking of fences with him.
Paul Townend said afterwards: “He was on it today for the majority of the race; when I gave him one flick he extended again. We learnt a lot more today.”
I asked Mullins was he the most excited he’s been about a horse. He didn’t rule it out but added: “I can’t ask for any more of this fella.”
Tekao (10-11) got the ball rolling in the first before Dysart Dynamo was something of a revelation in the maiden chase with a 28-length win.
“He was very good, a very intelligent round of jumping,” Townend said. “He let fly at the second, that can happen here, but he was much more manageable than he is hurdling.”
For the record, Winter Fog was Mullins’ other winner, routing his rivals in the handicap hurdle, but it was a measure of the man that he was keen to pay tribute to the McNamaras for taking the big handicap chase.
Having spent time with both Mullins and Paul Nicholls, where he lost his way, this was no mean training achievement for County Limerick-based McNamara. “We changed Real Steel’s routine and we were always very kind to him. We brought him a few different places to work and we never took him off the bridle.”
One winner for him might have meant the same as six for Mullins; every other trainer among the crowd of 17,045 left empty-handed and wondering about the nature of a National Hunt game that seems tougher than ever.
The Lord Bagenal back home for a celebration for Willie Mullins tonight?
“I might give it a little run.”
Got em all right, im off to celebrate by getting a life
Taibi and I got 5/10 , I thought that might give me Paul Jones or ed de goy .. someone middle of the road , not that clown anyway… To sum up , a tad harsh ..
I am Peter schmeicel
Fabian Bartez, “good but not the best” , haha, pretty accurate there!
9/10. Agonised for ages over the Selhurst park question and then chose the wrong one.
That question was one of the only ones I got right lol. Milwall would never share a ground with Palace, would be like a south east WWIII.
Wouldn’t matter who Milwall were sharing a ground with….they’d start a war with anyone…
Tbf to the actual club, they’ve tried to stamp the rough element out of the game. They also do massive work for charities and advocacy to keep vital services at Lewisham Hospital. Having been to the New Den, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought, I guess it isn’t fair to tarnish the whole club with one brush. But they hate Palace, lol.
I stood in the away section at the old den in New Cross once, it was a cage thankfully cause we were battered with bricks and bottles for the entire game. Scary stuff.
Jaysus. 10/10. But if the quiz was the other way around – e.g. ‘where do the club who used to play at Ayresome Park now play?’ – then I’d be struggling to get two or three. Must really be showing my age.
6/10 with 3 of them guesses
100% I watch/have watched way to much football :L