Willie Mullins becomes winning most trainer as State Man and Ballyburn triumph
Double Grade 1 glory led the trainer to surpass Dermot Weld
Friday, 03 May 2024
Willie Mullins overtook Dermot Weld as Irish racing’s all-time winning most trainer with a Grade 1 double at Punchestown Festival.
In a record-tumbling season the Irish champion trainer reached the golden number of 4,378 nearly a week after lifting the British trainers’ title and two months after bringing up a century of wins at Cheltenham Festival.
Closutton’s prolific hurdler State Man was the horse to equal the record as he eased to his tenth Grade 1 victory in the Boodles Champion Hurdle, putting the cherry on top of a perfect season.
But it was Ballyburn who did the honours and tipped Mullins over the edge with a well-fought win in the Champion Novice Hurdle.
Paul Townend guided both geldings to victory adding to his tally in the race for Champion Jockey, but it would be some feat to topple rival Jack Kennedy in tomorrow’s final day of the jumps season.
Mullins said: “I’m privileged to [surpass Weld].
“To beat Dermot Weld at anything, who pioneered going down to Australia for the Melbourne Cup, all the things he has done over the years, and he’s not finished yet either by the way!
“He could have a fantastic flat season, but those records are there to be broken.
“There’s going to be more racing, there’s going to be more younger trainers coming up to break those.
“But it’s a huge honour and a privilege.”
He added: “You know what is on my mind is the next winner and I had never dreamed of it.
“Someone said it to me three weeks ago that we were in that territory, I didn’t realise we’d trained so many winners and I didn’t realise what that meant.”
Earlier in the day, Sean Flanagan triumphed in the Grade 2 Mares Chase for Gavin Cromwell as Brides Hill finished the season unbeaten with four wins in four starts.
Derek O’Connor reflected his ride at Cheltenham after It’s On The Line won a sensational battle for the line in the Champion Hunters’ Chase with Lifetime Ambition.
O’Connor said: “We all know he gets stick because of the way he races on and off the bridle.
“But he keeps finding, if something becomes challenging, he keeps finding all the time.
“If I had my time again I think I would have won on him at Cheltenham.
“I put him to war too soon and I shouldn’t have done it, the hill in Cheltenham is severe.
“We’ll never know now but if we go back to Cheltenham next year we won’t make the same mistake!”
In a win for small trainers, Michael O’Sullivan provided Barry Connell with his first ever Punchestown win.
He beat out stiff competition to deliver Hgranca De Thaix to Novice Handicap Chase glory.
In a record-tumbling season the Irish champion trainer reached the golden number of 4,378 nearly a week after lifting the British trainers’ title and two months after bringing up a century of wins at Cheltenham Festival.
Closutton’s prolific hurdler State Man was the horse to equal the record as he eased to his tenth Grade 1 victory in the Boodles Champion Hurdle, putting the cherry on top of a perfect season.
But it was Ballyburn who did the honours and tipped Mullins over the edge with a well-fought win in the Champion Novice Hurdle.
Paul Townend guided both geldings to victory adding to his tally in the race for Champion Jockey, but it would be some feat to topple rival Jack Kennedy in tomorrow’s final day of the jumps season.
Another string to his bow 🏆
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) May 3, 2024
Ballyburn and @PTownend's win @punchestownrace means @WillieMullinsNH becomes Irish racing's winning most trainer 👏#EveryRacingMoment pic.twitter.com/niZq5vDDUk
Mullins said: “I’m privileged to [surpass Weld].
“To beat Dermot Weld at anything, who pioneered going down to Australia for the Melbourne Cup, all the things he has done over the years, and he’s not finished yet either by the way!
“He could have a fantastic flat season, but those records are there to be broken.
“There’s going to be more racing, there’s going to be more younger trainers coming up to break those.
“But it’s a huge honour and a privilege.”
He added: “You know what is on my mind is the next winner and I had never dreamed of it.
“Someone said it to me three weeks ago that we were in that territory, I didn’t realise we’d trained so many winners and I didn’t realise what that meant.”
Earlier in the day, Sean Flanagan triumphed in the Grade 2 Mares Chase for Gavin Cromwell as Brides Hill finished the season unbeaten with four wins in four starts.
Derek O’Connor reflected his ride at Cheltenham after It’s On The Line won a sensational battle for the line in the Champion Hunters’ Chase with Lifetime Ambition.
O’Connor said: “We all know he gets stick because of the way he races on and off the bridle.
“But he keeps finding, if something becomes challenging, he keeps finding all the time.
“If I had my time again I think I would have won on him at Cheltenham.
“I put him to war too soon and I shouldn’t have done it, the hill in Cheltenham is severe.
“We’ll never know now but if we go back to Cheltenham next year we won’t make the same mistake!”
In a win for small trainers, Michael O’Sullivan provided Barry Connell with his first ever Punchestown win.
He beat out stiff competition to deliver Hgranca De Thaix to Novice Handicap Chase glory.