Trainer W P Mullins | irishracing.com

My heart jumped and he stood so far back at it. I hope his back is alright in the morning as he caught it and did well to stand up, and Paul did well to stay on him. But that is what novices do and it is great to make that mistake early in the race as it puts manners on the horse and he jumped fine after that. Paul thought he wasn't racing so, after the fourth-las,t sent him up and was in his hands. He had just been a bit lazy and maybe cantering around on his own on our gallop, he probably thought he was having a quiet day. We teach them, especially the staying chasers, to settle on the mornings they're not working but we were probably overdoing it. I imagine he will go to Cheltenham with very little experience and maybe just that run as I don't see anything else in the calendar for him. We might take our chance and go straight there, maybe for the 2m4f Turners chase or the three-mile race (Brown Advisory Novices' Chase) - they'll be going that bit slower and it'll give him a chance. We're not that well represented in the three-mile race yet but who knows what'll happen between now and then.

Gowran Park Thu, 26th Jan, 2023 Carefully Selected

It is always a great thrill to win the Thyestes, but I think that was Paul Townend's victory. The ride he gave him - he had two horses behind him with a circuit to race and kept wide out of trouble, puts huge pressure on a jockey but he loves pressure and rides better with pressure. He has been off sick the past two days but to come back and give a ride like that is a tremendous achievement and he rushed off to get a drink just now. It was as fine a ride as I ever saw around here to win a Thyestes with that sort of weight. I thought after the third-last that his winning chance had gone but he sat and sat, gave him a breather, got a good jump at the last and I thought it was fantastic riding. He was obviously very sick the last two days so to come back and ride a race like that was huge in my mind.

Fairyhouse Wed, 25th Jan, 2023 Hauturiere

I've always thought a nice bit of her but was just disappointed we hadn't got her head in front. Today she got her head in front on very testing ground and she'll probably stay much further. I don't know if she's good enough but she'll probably get an entry in the Grade 1 here at Easter. She has a lot of experience to go to the mares novice hurdle in Cheltenham. It's hard to know how much she'll improve for the rest of the season, I'm hoping she will improve. Unfortunately Paul had a bit of a dose on him yesterday morning and he said he'd take the day off today. Hopefully he will be back tomorrow. It's great for Danny, tough for Paul but hopefully he will be back among the winners soon.

Thurles Sun, 22nd Jan, 2023 Embassy Gardens

That was a bit more straightforward and he appreciates that step out to three miles. I imagine the way he gallops through the line, he'll take up his date in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. He doesn't need a run before Cheltenham. Hopefully he stays sound and wins a nice novice race this year and he looks a real chasing type.

Thurles Sun, 22nd Jan, 2023 Allegorie De Vassy

Maybe it was my fault as I said to Paul to let her go from the start and she was too exuberant at the first - I don't think he'll be listening to me again!. Paul thinks it was pure exuberance and he was letting her roll down to the fence rather than pulling her together and asking her. She went off right but he gathered her together more after that. I think it was a one-off and she didn't get a jump this week as our jumping area was frozen. She was just too fresh and exuberant but settled into it nicely and confirmed what she showed at Limerick. What impressed me at Limerick was that she was able to jump so well out of the heavy ground - most horses can't keep that up for 2m4f but she did, against good opposition. I'm very pleased today and doubt she'll run before Cheltenham although will have a school somewhere, maybe after the Dublin Racing Festival or the week after that. At the moment the mares' chase (at Cheltenham) is where she'll go.

Navan Sat, 21st Jan, 2023 It's For Me

He's much better on the track than he is at home, at home he isn't flash. Looking at the price he went off in his point-to-point, it was obviously a similar story there. He's much better on grass. That was very impressive. He was a bit keen all the way but he quickened up very well. That was as good as anything that has been seen this year. When you don't have one of Gordon's (Elliott) in there to maybe have a measure it's a bit easier. The bumper horses seem to be hitting top gear now, they were a bit hit and miss before Christmas.

Fairyhouse Sat, 14th Jan, 2023 Westport Cove

he won despite fighting me for the first half-mile. Usually a horse that does that doesn't finish the race but the fact that he did finish is a testament to his ability. I think he's significantly better than the bare form and when he learns to race, could be a very good horse. He handled that ground fine but it's fresh ground, it's not very deep so he got through it fine. I wouldn't call it proper winter ground, funnily enough. I think he'll handle good ground as well.

Naas Sun, 8th Jan, 2023 Hunters Yarn

he (Hunters yarn) got in underneath one or two but when I wanted him and I was going on a stride up the straight, he was good and got better at it. If I had done that with him the first day he'd probably have won as well. He improved from his first run but I wasn't happy with myself the first day. He's another nice one for the owners who are having a mighty time of it.

Naas Sun, 8th Jan, 2023 Champ Kiely

it was a good performance and I got a great feel off this fellow in Tipperary. The Royal Bond Hurdle was a bit of a messy race but he was only beaten four-and-a-bit lengths so I believed he had something like that in him. It's easy to say it but he's gone and proved it. He's won over further so the trip was never going to be an issue.

Naas Sun, 8th Jan, 2023 Appreciate It

it was the same as the last day and you'd love to get a lead on him as he's idle in front. I was trying to teach him today, and win, without doing something silly. He showed me the last day that he's there when I need him. It's grand to get him out again and you'd have to be happy with everything he's doing. Every day is experience for him.

Fairyhouse Sun, 1st Jan, 2023 James du Berlais

he’s a great jumper but I haven’t ridden a Willie Mullins horse that fresh for a long time. He’s been off the track for a long time and he was fresh under me all the way. When he sees a fence he says 'let me at it'. He takes them on and at a couple of fences he’s got in deep, so I’ve tried to educate him. He was a very good horse over hurdles and it’s good to have him back again. He’s had a nice blow going down to the last but when I gave him a little squeeze he’s winged the last and gone away nicely. He could be really exciting over two and a half or three miles. He’s got plenty of pace.

Fairyhouse Sun, 1st Jan, 2023 Indiana Dream

he’s (Indiana Dream) a lovely looking horse and does everything right at home. He won a French bumper and looking at the size of him I’d say there is plenty of improvement in him. There is a winners’ of one race in a few weeks but that will probably come too soon. He’s a grand horse, we like him.

Tramore Sun, 1st Jan, 2023 Quais De Paris

It's great to get the annual cheque from David Flynn!.

Punchestown Sat, 31st Dec, 2022 Saint Sam

We decided to come back over hurdles with him and it might be the right thing to do going out in trip with him. He likes to get on with the job so Paul let him get on with it today. He put in some tremendous jumps and I think if he settles a little better over hurdles that might be his career for the near future. Otherwise I’ll mix it with him over fences. I want to get him out in trip. He’s bred to stay further but he races a bit keenly. I think he’ll settle down once he gets used to racing over a longer trip.

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