Champagne Problem and Pat Taaffe © Photo Healy Racing
“Winners are always nice, particularly when you don’t have to train them!” quipped Tom 'no regrets' Taaffe today, as his son Pat Taaffe won Sligo's Templeboy Bumper on the family's Willie Mullins trained Champagne Problem
Running in the colours of Taaffe's wife Elaine and owned in partnership with Tamso Doyle Cox, the daughter of Fame And Glory is out of a sister to the Cox family's Ninetieth Minute, which won the 2009 Coral Cup, for Taaffe.
Today Champagne Problem scored readily on debut, providing college student Taaffe with a sixth winner and a first for trainer Mullins.
Taaffe senior, whose Kicking King won the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup and two King George VI Chases, retired from training after a 27-year career in March and following today's race expanded “it’s great. She’s a well-bred filly and she’s out of a half-sister to a Cheltenham winner.
“Willie said he thought she was ready to take a race, so on she came and she’s a bumper winner now.”
“You need to ask the trainer about future plans! She’ll go hurdling in due course, I’m sure.”
Quotes from Mark Nunan
