Graham wylie excellent interview

Yes was very good interview and well summarised Scooby.

Well done Matt - great interview. Wylie gave a frank and open opinion on every horse. Interesting that HE brought up Augusta Kate when the topic turned to his best chance of a winner. I think that the owners are keen to persuade WPM to let them have their day.
Good summary from scooby - but to be fair he wasn't 100% that Nichols went CH, just 'almost certain at this stage' - same with Felix although it sounds like Japan is a lot less likely than it was.
The one that is really up in the air appears to be Black Hercules. Far from certain to go 4 Miler as the RSA sounds a definite possibility as far as Willie is concerned

I'd agree with that delsie. For got to mention BH sounds like willie quite fancies the rsa but he said he's very much aware that he's favourite for the 4 miler and they will decide nearer the time.

What race did he say for yorkhill please ?

either the supreme or neptune. Same for bellshill.
Haven't decided either way

I'd be dissapointed if what odds black hercules is for a race became a factor. He surely seems like an RSA horse ?

Undecided on Yorkhill but said it was his best chance of a winner.

Didn't know - but reading between the lines I got the impression that it looks like Yorkhill Neptune and Bellshill Supreme. Just the feeling I got anyway.

Not sure where you got that feeling, seemed 50/50 to me.
As long as Yorkhill is in one I will be happy.

Yorkhill is clear second fav for the Neptune and you cannot give it away for the Supreme, so it's already been decided where he goes.
Basically Ricci is getting clear passage as usual with Min, and even though Yorkhill would be better suited to 2m, Wylie is getting messed around because Ruby wants 2 good chances rather than one, and maybe the wrong one winning .
They are avoiding Min but taking on Yanworth with Yorkhill. Ruby has a good ride in both races and Wylie gets it up the jaxxy.

Mincer must be willie mullins

Almost certainly he's going to be in the Champion Hurdle but we'll keep our options open just in case something happens between now and March 15," said Wylie.

"I think you'll probably see him in the Champion. It depends how he does this year, but I think we may step him up in terms of distance next season."

Reflecting upon his latest defeat, Wylie said: "Faugheen looked very, very impressive, and I don't know even if Nichols Canyon had turned up at his best if he'd have got that close to him.

"I think he was very impressive that day. I think with my fella we don't know if it was a hard run or whether just trying to keep up with Faugheen took the legs off him. We just don't know. But Willie said to me this morning that he's good form, he's working well and he'll take his chance.

"There is a possibility he might turn up in the World Hurdle, but then Thistlecrack looks a very good horse too.

"I think the fact is that we haven't run Nichols Canyon at three miles at all. I'm not convinced therefore that it would be sensible to take him to the World Hurdle without knowing if he gets the trip."

Wylie also had news of some of his other squad, including Tolworth Hurdle winner Yorkhill, whose Sandown form has now been boosted twice in the last couple of weeks with big wins from O O Seven and Agrapart.

Punters are itching to find out whether Yorkhill will line up in either the Sky Bet Supreme or the Neptune Novices' Hurdle, but Wylie wasn't for committing with four weeks still to go.

"He's obviously one of my best novices this season, if not my best novice," he said. "The truth is he's down for both the Supreme and Neptune and we haven't made up our minds yet. If he goes in the Supreme, he's up against Min. If he goes in the Neptune, he's up against Yanworth. He's got two tough competitors in either race.

"I spoke to Willie this morning and he said he'd make up his mind nearer the time. We'll probably keep him separate from Bellshill - one of those will go in the Supreme and one in the Neptune - but we don't know just yet.

"The truth is that Ruby has ridden the horse quite a few times, Willie trains him every day, those two boys know which is the best race for him and I just leave it to them. They know far more about the quality of the horse and his chance than I ever could.

"He won his bumper at Punchestown on fast ground but the nice thing is he will go on either ground, but I do think he will be a better horse on better ground."

Yorkhill can be backed with Sky Bet for the Supreme at 16/1 or at 20/1 for the Neptune with the same firm.

Wylie said that Bellshill had recovered from a poor run at Leopardstown last time out, and also confirmed that some of his other recent disappointments, Shaneshill andUp For Review, were also on course to come back at Cheltenham despite their latest poor showings.

"Bellshill scoped afterwards and he scoped badly so we can probably still go to Cheltenham," said Wylie. "Ruby got off last time and said when he pulled him out the horse just had nothing. That race was too bad to be true, but if the horse wasn't right they can't run their race, can they?

"Shaneshill I think we went there [to Doncaster] to see if he was an Arkle horse and we got our answer - he'll definitely be in the JLT. He's down for the RSA as well, but I think the JLT is the race for him.

"Hopefully, Up For Review will bounce back and run a big race in the Albert Bartlett too. He's going to be a chaser, but it would be great to see him run well there."

Wylie's recent run of misfortune was extended when Black Hercules fell at the final fence at Navan on Sunday when having victory in the bag, but the owner was still looking on the bright side, even if unable to commit the horse to either the RSA Chase or the National Hunt Chase.

"Ruby said his jumping was superb, obviously up until the last fence," he said. "He had plenty of horse under him, he got in low, hit the top and just crumpled on landing. Just a novicey mistake.

"I spoke to Willie this morning and he said 'The horse isn't slow, he's actually quite fast' and the report from Ruby yesterday was that if he was in the RSA, he wouldn't show you up, he'd run a big race. It's very much options open - we'll make that decision nearer the time.

"From where I'm sitting he's got a great chance in the National Hunt Chase. We've never tried him over four miles, but we do think he'd stay. But Willie is convinced he'd run a big race in the RSA, so we'll see."

Wylie also said that he was looking to run Felix Yonger in the Champion Chase rather than the Ryanair and that his juvenile Voix Du Reve could make a first appearance in his silks in the Triumph Hurdle, or wait for Punchestown.

They are avoiding Min but taking on Yanworth with Yorkhill. Ruby has a good ride in both races and Wylie gets it up the jaxxy.

No change there then!

yep,normal thing with this lot.
Wylie  can say what he likes bless him,but it's coming across more and more who the beneficiaries are when it comes to decisions.
Jockey trainer and ricci.

From what I seen at Punchestown last year I'd have thought Yorkhills best option lay over 2 miles, I remember thinking at the time that if he ran against the 2nd that day OK Corral over a longer distance the outcome would be different. OK Corral hasn't been seen this year unfortunately. Yorkhill is a special horse and Id have thought Min would need to be very good to beat him. On pedigree he shouldn't have any problem over the longer trip but it keeps niggling at me OK Corral was closing in hand over fist on him in a true run race at Punchestown. I would love for him to run in the Supreme and damn Bellshill for having a wobbly and thrown the original plan up in the air.

He can put his horses where he likes, fella. Don't you think there's just a chance he's happy to have them as his trainer and jockey? Cos if he wasn't happy he'd feck off, wouldn't he? Numerous Grade 1's and big race successes? Perhaps he should send them all to Nicholls and retain STD to ride them all.

PFN has had a crap season. Might tempt Howard Johnson out of retirement though......

He had a fair few big race wins before he got involved with Mullins.
I dare say he would get them with other trainers as well.
If he's happy with his relationship with Mullins and the way the yard works,of course that's up to him.
I would be off personally.

It's a liberty trainers and jockeys take making decisions about somebody else's horse. If your paying the bills man up and make the decision and if your getting paid shut up and do as your told.

So from what ive read, the consensus is Yorkill goes for the Neptune. If Wylie sticks to his word and splits Yorkhill and Bellshill, that means Bellshill goes for the Supreme...Surely the 25/1 about Bellshill is huge value then? He beat most of the supreme runners at Punch and Aintreee last year (admittedly not at Cheltenham)

Depends how much notice you take of his last run I guess.

Well even if you take his last run at face value, do you believe he will go for the Supreme? The market doesnt. you can't lay him, and can back at 40/1, whilst Neptune has a 14-19 spread. Same with the bookies. Best price 12/1 Neptune, best price Supreme, 33/1. Am i missing something? Or is Wylie just lying

Sorry, I meant backing him on his last run,which was not good.
He's 50/50 which race he runs at Cheltenham according to his owner tonight.
Think he's pretty genuine on that myself.

Well my issue is Wylie says "we will split them up" which makes sense. But the markets dont agree at all. The exchange points to them both going for the Neptune. Hence my question. If Wylie is telling the truth, there is some serious value to be had one one of them going for the Supreme. If hes lying, which the markets indicate, then you'd get burnt trying to find value in the supreme market...

Based on breeding alone I would send Yorkhill to the Neptune:
E41,000 F; 2nd foal; unraced dam closely related to 2m1f-3m1f hurdle/smart chase winner Offshore Account and useful 2m1f-3m hurdle/chase winner Dooneys Gate, half-sister to high-class chaser The Listener & smart chasers Fork Lightning and Distant Thunder

Even though his previous runs may look like he could be competitive in the Supreme, I would ask myself the following questions:

1.) How many Presenting progeny have won the Supreme?
2.) How many Presenting progeny have won or been very competitive over further in novice races at Cheltenham?

This might seem a bit too simplistic but Presenting is a prolific sire so would have had ample progeny to have been aimed at and won a Supreme. War Of Attrition was second and Dunguib third in a Supreme but most Presenting progeny have been competitive over further and turn out to be stayers in their second seasons.

He's very much a gent from what can be seen and Wylie seems to love the sport. He doesn't try to dictate or even seem to sit in during the planning stage which must put him at a disadvantage vis a vis Ricci's horses because as he freely admits Ricci definitely is hands on in the planning stages.

When asked about having his horses back in England, he said, I sent all my good ground horses to Nicholls and all my soft ground horses to Mullins.

Festivalfanatic - PFN has had a crap season. Might tempt Howard Johnson out of retirement though......Blush


Well there have been mutterings that JHJ might be returning to the training ranks, He is mad as a box of frogs though so could just be playing around.

He needs to do what is best for his horses and have Yorkhill, Bellshill, Shaneshill, Black Hercules, Up for Review, Nichols Canyon, etc put in the correct races not dropped from a race because Ruby wants a ride in it or some other feeble excuse.

If he wants Mullins and Walsh so much  he deserves only the crumbs he gets from the Ricci, Mullin, Walsh leftovers.

Let's hope what happened to Shaneshill last year is not replicated with Yorkhill solely to facilitate WPM and RW personal aims only.

Even with Faugheen out of the race, there was little chance of Ruby riding Nichols Canyon in the CH. However now that Townsend is likely to ride Arctic Fire, Wyllie might be a bit pissed that Willie intends putting up Mattie Batchelor on his horse. Could be worse though ....Patrick....?

He needs to do what is best for his horses and have Yorkhill, Bellshill, Shaneshill, Black Hercules, Up for Review, Nichols Canyon, etc put in the correct races not dropped from a race because Ruby wants a ride in it or some other feeble excuse.

If he wants Mullins and Walsh so much  he deserves only the crumbs he gets from the Ricci, Mullin, Walsh leftovers.


Couldn't agree more. An owner of his standing needs to be main man and get his horses in 'right' race

Gordon Elliot, Alan King, or similar training his horses, get Davy Russell or Hutchison retained and start challenging the three amigos. The horses rarely have any continuity and it cannot be helping their progress. I've backed Arctic Fire but I'd like nothing more than Noichols Canyon beating Annie and Walsh  in the champ and even though Mullins would win it id reckon he'd look like he lost a grand and found a fiver.

Be careful,theres a fair few that will come after you for that.
Some think its just not on to criticise Mullins ,Ricci, Walsh.

Fwiw,i have thought for some time he should go to other trainers.

Not so straight forward when wpm get the right horse for him. Wylie has good horses for a smaller string owner.

Well he can do what he wants with his horses he has now ,and I'm sure other people are around that can buy horses for him.
Hes had success in the past before mullins, im sure he could in the future after him.

He doesn't want any French breds,( suits Ricci) I reckon if he changed his mind on that he'd have to go elsewhere, otherwise how would they divi them up between them.

I think he had greater success before Mullins. I also think he'd have more success taking the horses elsewhere as they are treated like second class citizens so why he keeps them there is beyond me.

with regards Howard Johnson did Wyllie not say he spoke to HJ the other day,sure he would send him some if he came back......said he loved a winner at Hexham,cannot see Mullins or Nicholls having many there Que HJ!!!

Remember when he won with Quwetwo in today's Morebattle Hurdle, turning over Zaynar.

Nichols Canyon - six grade ones in less than 15 months and people complaining. I'll say nothing.

Nichols Canyon -  6 Grade 1's in the last 2 seasons. There is not a trainer on earth that could have campaigned this 160 rated horse any better then WPM. It was pure genius.
Bellshill - 2 Grade 1's & 1 Grade 2 for this above average horse
Shaneshill - 1 Grade 1 & 1 Grade 2 (definitely not WPM finest moment in campaigning but again just an above average horse)
Black Hercules - 1 Grade 3 for this above average horse
Up for Review - 1 Grade 2 for this above average horse

Then you have all the other Graded winners like Boston Bob, Briar Hill, On His Own, Felix Yonger and even ole Tidal Bay to name a few. I wouldn't pick any of these as superstars. In fact i couldn't pick any superstars Wylie has had with WPM yet he has had huge success.

On the other hand Ricci has ............................................ And yet people question why WPM might avoid a horse to better another horse's chance.

Certainly pushing the Mullins love in a bit to give him credit for Tidal Bay. Or are you saying he made sure he didn't win the Irish race that Nicholls won with it to keep Wylie happy?

@Arkle - succinct and to the point. I'll try that next time.

@quantize - i'm only human. Mea Culpa.

On a serious note if all his horses were with Nicholls or Henderson the past few years he would have won very little.

Mullins for whatever reason has his training methods far superior to any other. It helps having the best horses in yard to train against.

When I go running and run with faster people I improve each time. With no Kauto etc in Nicholls yard he has nothing for his horses just below top class to chase to improve.

Of course Nicholls has had good horses for novices to to train with/against. Big Bucks, Dodging Bullets, Saphir De Rheu and others.

@quantize - Good points. I think i was a bit harsh with my above average comments regarding this seasons horses. Would have been better to say what you said i.e.just below top class.

Didnt Willie even give him a loan of his jockey for Tidal Bay that day in Leopardstown and of course Back In Focus won a grade one there the same day. Poor Graham must be pulling his hair out.

I don't really agree Bud. Sure the owner could take off with what he has got, but he's doing well, and remember it wasn't long ago Wylie and Mullins were wrongfully denied a gold cup. I can that now as someone who had a small bet on the winner.

Not a problem mate,I don't expect people to agree with me anyway,although it is nice when some do.
I say things as I feel.
I feel Wylie don't get the same treatment as Ricci. No idea what goes on of course,that is just how it seems to me.
Oh he's had a few novice graded wins I admit, but I cannot think of too many big race wins with Mullins out of novice company.
The ones he has with him now I only see Yorkhill as potential for that,and that probably depends what Ricci has as potential opposition.

To be honest I think all Mullins other big owners would be better off elsewhere,and leave Ricci and Mullins to get on with it.

Cue the Mullins disciples!!

I agree with Bud. I think Wylie is a proper gent as seen when he was very sporting in the gold cup stewards aftermath. If I won the Euro millions I'd spread my 50 horses around 10 trainers, maybe Wylie would get better entries/options out with the Mullins stable. But he was very loyal to Howard and he will probably be the same in this case.

I am total agreement with you Budd as you can tell from my posts. The Mullins brigade can't see past him that's fair enough and he's a great trainer but there are other great trainers who would do just as well with these horses they just want to think Mullins is a god. I think Wylie should get his own  trainer where horses who've cost him a mint are trained and placed without influence from other owners in the yard and the horses are ridden by a jockey who gets on them all the time not if he hasn't a ride for another owner.

We are just as entitled to our opinion as they are to their opinion.

Absolutely right, we are all entitled to our opinions, but some seem to have a problem accepting an opinion that differs from the one they have.
That problem seems to grow when it comes to Mr Mullins.

Have his own trainer,and jockey,yep,makes sense to me.

Having a single trainer for one's horses is never a good thing, why? Your horses could be wiped out in an incident of nature eg a fire, equine flu, etc. Also, the trainer could take your patronage for granted and not campaign them accordingly.

To win a grade 1 where the competition is non existent or pathetic - quite a norm in Ireland lately - with the horse starting long odds-on is never a true reflection of that horse's true ability.

It's without doubt the abilities of some of GW horses have been compromised last year, and not placed in the best races.

Think you'll find this island where competition is non existent & pathetic has the fav's in 3 of your island's CHAMPIONSHIP RACES and to be quite the norm why don't some of you're great steeds appear in the entries of our non competitive race's

Not sure this has anything to do with Wylie having his leg lifted.

Another 1-2 for Wylie in the big race today. If I was Rich Ricci I wouldn't stand for it. He should take his horses somewhere else where he gets a fair crack of the whip.

Wylie having a grand day out with a couple of his OAP's, yeah, Ricci'S well choked, I bet he's sat there now with a condescending pat on the head for Wylie, probably telling him he's got a couple good ones there

Like I say crumbs from the table. £18k race that they were going to lose but for fav falling. Well done Willie. Wylie can have a biscuit cos Ricci is back in the States. Whoppee Do.

Comparing Wylie and Ricci's horses is difficult, their purchasers acquire different types of horses that then end up stabled in the same stable and ultimately running in the same races, I wouldn't envy Mullins position at all trying to keep two big owners happy even though he is provided with some serious talent by both men.

I think it is what the Americans call a high class problem.

Nothing to add from the comments of Duffy and Hussard.

It's a good job Mullins has Ricci and Wylie's horses in his yard otherwise he'd be exposed as the outstanding trainer he's always been.

Is anyone suggesting he's not good at his job?

Certainly he knows how to train a horse,maybe not so good at the managing side of things re owners.

Managing owners is an integral part of the operation so it does look like you're saying he is not good at his job.

WPM did not just wake up one morning and suddenly all the big owners had their horses with him. He built his operation into what it is by not only being a great trainer but also a great manager. This whole criticism of his dealings with Wylie seems based around a couple of horses that were campaigned wrongly in maybe one or two races which is a small fraction in the overall scheme of things. Of course i could be wrong so maybe one of the critics could fill me in on the number of occasions he has compromised Wylies horses.

Think its pretty clear by reading my posts what I am saying.

It would be a whole different scenario if Wylie woke up one morning and said to Mullins, Right Willie "I'm back in the frame for actively seeking out and buying Franch breds"

At the moment Ricci has a pretty clear route to snapping all of those up, Wylie is handicapping himself in that regard.

Budd in your 21.05 post of 18th Feb you state "No idea what goes on of course" and yet you continually show a negative attitude to both WM and his horses. However its good to see you admit you dont know what youre talking about.

Absolutely I don't know what goes on,nor does anyone else on here. Unless some of you are connected to the yard or relatives!!
I have an opinion that wont change until I see something that goes against that opinion.
I don't like the best horses not running against each other cos of trainer/owner politics,and I don't think Wylie is treated the same as Ricci.
Nothing you or any other of Mullins disciples can say will change that.
I shall leave it at that now,to be honest had enough of discussing it.

In 1981 Wylie co-founded the Sage Group with David Goldman and Paul Muller, having programmed the initial Sage accounts package himself.The Sage Group quickly grew to be a successful worldwide financial software company and is the only software company listed on the FTSE 100. Wylie retired from Sage in 2003.

In October 2003 Wylie founded Technology Services Group and in the following years expanded that company primarily through acquisition.

Speedflex (Europe) Ltd was formed in 2011 by Chairman Graham Wylie, Paul Ferris (Barrister, former Professional Footballer and Physiotherapist at Newcastle United Football Club) and Alan Shearer (former Newcastle United and England captain).

Wylie has been honoured by the Queen with a CBE in the 2003 New Year Honours. Wylie has been awarded honorary doctorates by Northumbria University in 2000 and Newcastle University in 2004.Furthermore he has been awarded the freedom of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

And your trying to tell me this man doesnt know when hes having his 'leg lifted' ?

How does the above relate to what he does as his hobby???

If Willie Mullins tells GW what to do with his horses re running plans and targets, why would GW say different??

It seems GW has full faith in Mullins some of which may seem blind at times??

RR buys horses from France who they turn into novice superstars!  Not many have done it in open company over fences.... Yet!

So when it comes to novice hurdlers I do think whylie is probs fighting a losing battle as the French breds seem to be better, from the last few years anyway.

People who build up multi million pound businesses tend not to get their legs lifted in any walk of life.

if your getting your leg lifted by someone who's knowledge is far superior to your own in a certain sphere, how do you know your getting your leg lifted is what I would ask...... Placing all bar a couple horses with Howard Johnson was hardly a great decision by GW when he started out was it now?

Really? Wylie would still have been fully involved with Sage at that time. Johnson would be the nearest trainer to his home base, making it easy to get down to the gallops, watch his horses, learn more about the game. Perhaps it was a meeting with Johnson that prompted his interest and persuaded him to get involved?

I've no idea of the rationale for that decision, the factors behind it or the dynamic of his relationship with HoJo - and nor do you, I suspect.

It's easy to condemn it with 15 years or so of hindsight and no understanding of the context within which it was made.

As others have pointed out, he's an extremely astute business man, clearly a clever man, I'm sure he has his reasons for placing his horses with Mullins, is conversant with all the pros and cons of doing so - presumably he's also privy to factors which inform his decision making that are not common knowledge to general jums racing fans.

are wylie horses put in the race where they have best chance of winning, or where Mullins feel will benefit his stable tally come the end of week.

actually thinking about it, it may have been after selling Sage that he got involved in racing but the general statement still stands - his business interests are in the north east, my memory not as good as it was

bankit - some may be put in races where it's easiest for the owner to go and watch them run, he'd have more runners than Ricci at Doncaster for example - not saying that's the main consideration but might be a factor...

On a side note it really is going to be fascinating to see where WPM sends Wylies top rated novice hurdler Yorkhill (OR 154). On form he looks like he could run in either Supreme/Neptune, so does WPM send him against his hyped up (albeit impressive) Min or the 158 officially rated Yanworth? I think this decision is going to speak volumes to how good they think Min is and i'll be lumping on whichever horse they decide to avoid. This really is an usual circumstance as it will be the first time WPM doesn't have the odds on fav in one of the novice hurdles to possibly campaign Wylies horses against.

Whatever happens it is going to make for great fodder for the WPM/Wylie discussion.

Yorkhill may be highest rated that does not mean its the best. Bellshill may be considered the better of the two.

Easy to criticize the HoJo link now but it started with great success. Inglis Drever and Tidal Bay were the most notable but there were plenty more winners. I remember doing an analysis of which owners had the best return in prize money per runner and Ogden and Wylie were first and second 2 years in a row compared to others with a comparable number of runners. JP was usually at the bottom of the list.

May be right,I seem to recall Wylie saying earlier in season that Bellshill was the quicker of the two.??
I have a nice Min,Yorkhill double,but I did manage to cover Yorkhill for the supreme couple of weeks ago when he went very big on here. And he travelled so impressively in the mud at Sandown,takes a darn good novice to have done that imo.
I think recent events suggest they may now think Yorkhill has the better chance over 2m against Min,and put Bellshill in the Neptune hoping he can put that last run behind him.
Yanworth looks really hard to beat and it could be they think Yorkhill could upset Min.

Don't get the fuss about Yorkhill over 2m, He made hard work of beating oo seven who is an out and out stayer.

Min ailtor and buveur d'air all look to have serious gears/pace which I think this one lacks a bit of.  i'd look to place lay him.

Yeah Budd I think Wylie said after Yorkhill win the Tolworth that Ruby told him he thought Bellshill had the more speed.

Of course he said that as he wanted a good ride in Neptune. But since then Yanworth ran his trial.

No doubt he'd go Neptune if Yanworth failed to show, but he has got the best 2M novice form imo and should go Supreme

Yanworth looks really hard to beat and it could be they think Yorkhill could upset Min.

That's what i'm thinking at the moment.

@simbog84 agree abut his win over OO Seven but the ground that day was atrocious and WPM has always said he'll be better on better ground.