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workrider
15 Mar 25 12:25
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Date Joined: 29 Jun 02
| Topic/replies: 33,269 | Blogger: workrider's blog
Back in 1983 yes that far back, Michael Dickinson had 5 of the 11 runners in the Gold Cup and they finished in the first 5 places , every Irishman was delighted for him and his wonderful achievement unlike the British people re Mullins ...A shameful reaction from the British on here....
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Report CagliariG March 15, 2025 11:29 AM GMT
There is a slight difference between a once in a lifetime occurrence and a regular occurrence workrider and not difficult to understand why some have the opinions they hold imo?
Report youresomean March 15, 2025 11:35 AM GMT
Bregawn was owned by the Kennellys from Listowel.
So an Irish win really
Report workrider March 15, 2025 11:39 AM GMT
Cagliarig its not the point he only did it once , if those horses had remained sound they would all have run again the next year. The point I'm making is even then people only wanted their horses with the best, plus you must remember Michael would have only had about 70 horses at that time..Anyway I'm off to Thurles...
Report STATSMAN March 15, 2025 11:55 AM GMT
If you've got the horses why not run them. Unless of course you're a trainer follower. I can't understand it workrider
Report STATSMAN March 15, 2025 11:55 AM GMT
If you've got the horses why not run them. Unless of course you're a trainer follower. I can't understand it workrider
Report STATSMAN March 15, 2025 11:56 AM GMT
Ooops, I said it once, why not twice Grin
Report 1st time poster March 15, 2025 12:47 PM GMT
its like man u in prime city now buying  players they don't really want ,grtealich prime example he might be doing little for city but he,s not playing against them,there's probably been a 100 losers as well as those 10 winners and he didn't win any of the big 4
the hill
jonbon
sir gino
GDC will be 10
no real stayer
he might not get any of blue ribbon 4 again next yr
Report mitolo March 15, 2025 1:26 PM GMT
zzzzzzzz

blue riband you megabore
Report themightymac March 15, 2025 1:46 PM GMT
Cheltenham would be just another meeting without the Irish. I like to see the best horses competing regardless of where the are trained. Well done Mr Mullins.
Report Cardinal Scott March 15, 2025 1:54 PM GMT
No Willie bashing from this Englander. just admiration for greatness, as is the case with AOB.


Top Of The Tree!
Report Hayden March 15, 2025 1:56 PM GMT
Ditto the last two posts    Happy
Report 1st time poster March 15, 2025 2:05 PM GMT
GREATNESS
how many of Mullins were tailed off,beaten a distance,pulled up ,if the greatest cant tell after 6 months which ones are 20lb behind another one,he ain't that great
Report The Sawyer March 15, 2025 2:53 PM GMT
workrider

I think Dickinson only had 50 odd horses in his yard
Report know all March 15, 2025 3:20 PM GMT
Mullings what a festival, just great
Report stewarts rise March 15, 2025 3:36 PM GMT
I think you're generalising Workrider, surely most keen racing followers can watch all the Irish races if they want and get the gist of the form and everyone would know that he has most of the best horses anyway.
   The people who moan about the Irish having too many runners/winners are probably the same people who moan about every other jockey. Think most racing fans just like to see the best horses run, wherever they are trained, what difference should a small stretch of the Irish sea make to anyone.
Report impossible123 March 15, 2025 5:19 PM GMT
To run 5 (11 runners) in a Gold Cup and all finished in the top 5 is very different to running 11 (17 runners) in a Triumph Hurdle where 3 were pulled-up; 4 finished in the last 4 or 7 (out of 17 runners) were non-competitive and merely making up numbers or being deployed tactically.

I'd not have minded if Mr Mullins ran 5 worthy contenders in the Champion Hurdle or Gold Cup or Champion Chase as long as they possessed proven credentials.
Report GEORGE.B March 15, 2025 5:25 PM GMT
Didn't Willie get a tremendous reception when he was crowned UK champion at Sandown last April?

Or were all those people who wore Willie Mullins face masks Irish?
Report impossible123 March 15, 2025 5:34 PM GMT
Mr Mullins could win it again. He collected over £600k on his winners alone at Cheltenham.
Report workrider March 15, 2025 5:35 PM GMT
A shameful reaction from the British on here...George please read this carefully...
Report GEORGE.B March 15, 2025 5:37 PM GMT
I don't what the scores are but the champion hurdle must have been a double-blow to him, not only missing out on the glory but also a chunk of prize money that could be the difference between being crowned champ or not.
Report GEORGE.B March 15, 2025 5:41 PM GMT
Just seen he's 1.2 million behind before today.
Report penzance March 15, 2025 5:42 PM GMT
1.2M behind Skelton.
Report GEORGE.B March 15, 2025 5:43 PM GMT
Seems too much to make up, penzance, even if he wins the Grand National?
Report penzance March 15, 2025 5:46 PM GMT
Might be wrong here but think last years Cheltenham,put him from 3RD
to 1ST.
Report brandyontherocks March 15, 2025 6:20 PM GMT
I think it was his National win, Penzance
Report sageform March 15, 2025 7:17 PM GMT
He needed the National last year but even that is nowhere near enough this year unless he wins a few of the other Grade 1/2 races at Aintree and Sandown. And that assumes that Skelton won't win some as well. Nicholls needs a National 123.
Report formoftheace March 15, 2025 7:26 PM GMT
Willie Mullins is an absolute gentleman….along with AOB….

When you look at the manner of them and compare with past and present of others ffs….

Classic example of a proper upbringing tbf….
Report cloone river March 16, 2025 9:18 AM GMT
Michael Dickinson was helped a lot by one shrewd Irish man who was buying the horses for him.
Report sageform March 16, 2025 9:31 AM GMT
How ever nice the trainers might be, the team tactics that both employ are a new aspect to the sport and probably come from the mega rich owners. Nicky Henderson sometimes does similar things and some of the same owners are involved. Refusing to name targets until overnight decs come out, refusing to put jockeys names up until the very last moment allowed and in the case of O'Brien and Coolmore, running horses for the sole purpose of messing up opponents to allow a free passage for the "chosen" one. I am not saying other trainers would not do the same given the ammunition but it is not sporting any more than professional fouls that pervade football.
Report spyker March 16, 2025 11:33 AM GMT
Its past anything to do with being Irish and down to the fact it is boring as feck. Long term domination in sport is not good for the sport and at no point in history has any trainer been so dominant (either code) and it doesn't look like ending. Obv can't blame the Mullins camp for being so good but it just turns people off long term, esp casual viewers.
Report geoff m March 16, 2025 2:49 PM GMT
Run as many as yer like Willie. You wont see him repeating Dickinsons famous 5.
Report Hayden March 16, 2025 3:16 PM GMT
The famous five achievement was good but you needed Henderson's binoculars to see the fifth horse Ashley House and the fourth Silver Buck to a degree so not much chance of totally scaring everyone off in the modern game for that to be repeated , relied just as much on the failure of Fifty dollars more , Coombs ditch etc on the day , whilst not underestimating the skills required to get them all to post.

Good memories though watching the race again    Happy
Report workrider March 16, 2025 3:20 PM GMT
Yes Hayden , Fifty a huge disappointment that day , Coombs more a Kempton horse imo, but still a brilliant performance from Michael and never likely ever to be repeated...
Report elise March 16, 2025 3:23 PM GMT
i recall pn had 4 of the first 5 home in the kauto denman era
Report 1st time poster March 16, 2025 4:34 PM GMT
been saying it for 30 yrs there wasn't a 4th and 5th in that gold cup,but out of Mullins 11 3 were pulled up,2 tailed off one beaten a distance,etc,etc
Report workrider March 16, 2025 4:49 PM GMT
He won your Gold Cup...Champion Hurdle ...Grand National ....He was also YOUR Champion Trainer enough said....
Report Nogoody March 16, 2025 5:07 PM GMT
Ffs, leave them alone Worky Laugh
Report workrider March 16, 2025 5:31 PM GMT
Laugh
Report Flemenstar March 17, 2025 1:02 AM GMT
why do lots of Irish like the OP have this "please love us, please!" chip on their shoulder
Report jimmythewon March 17, 2025 7:27 AM GMT
A very significant degree of misunderstanding in this thread. Trainers do not run horses in the Gold Cup (or any other race for that matter). The OWNERS run the horses because the owners pay the entry fees. It may be rather a long time until one owner has the first 5 home in a Catterick seller let alone the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Report Theoneandonly March 17, 2025 7:53 AM GMT
How are the runners in a race like the Triumph decided?

Is it based upon the fact that normally not enough usually enter and declare, and if more did there is a ballot to decide who gets in?

If so the conditions for the race need amending really by the BHA, as what is to stop someone putting even more entries in the race. Declare them all (Will get all entry fees back if ballotted out I assume) then some of the red hot favourites get unlucky in the ballot and don't get in.

Imagine doing it in the gold cup and then GDC and Inothewayurthinkin get unlucky and don't get a run.

For me personally it was the fact that some of the horses Mullins entered had never seen a hurdle in a competitive race that they should not have been entered. It all went well for him in the end but could you imagine if one of them suffered a bad fall or veered to the side and brought another horse down at a hurdle. This is supposed to be the championship race for 4 year old hurdlers, yet I think there were 3 that had never seen a hurdle in public.
Report paulo47 March 17, 2025 8:31 AM GMT
Yeah its ironic that my biggest Cheltenham bet was on Sea of Sands of Mullins in the Novice races . Ex flat too , 5lb higher rating than Poiros and favourite for the Ces rather than the Cambridgshire .Plenty of good flat form and a maiden hurdle winner and WPM loves it .Runs a great race against Romeo Coolio apart from its jumping and surely that can be put right .......Nope , not even a runner . The only plus was that I threw a quid at a couple of his in the Triumph as was out till mid pm , even if I missed 3x the price .
Report impossible123 March 17, 2025 11:34 AM GMT
I think every runner needs to have experience running in that category mainly for the reason of safety to the horse and to others including its jockey.
Report sageform March 17, 2025 1:43 PM GMT
In the distant past when there needed to be some balloted out it was done on handicap ratings! Which would rule out any that had not jumped a hurdle. The ones to keep in mind are the maidens. Place de la Nation, Too Bossy For Us and Mondo Man were the first 3 maidens home.
Report 1st time poster March 19, 2025 1:19 PM GMT
3 of Mullins were pulled up weren't they,2 tailed off
Report Bentring March 19, 2025 3:58 PM GMT
Who is the bellend Theoneandonly
Report Bentring March 19, 2025 4:03 PM GMT
Another sad post from impossible your hatred of the Irish knows no bounds
Report Hayden March 19, 2025 8:19 PM GMT
It seems the main agenda on the forum currently is finding a way to stop Willie becoming even more successful   Grin
Report mitolo March 19, 2025 8:41 PM GMT
mullins runs every horse on its merits. henderson was the guvnor at chelt for 20 years and now its mullins

how he keeps all his owners happy when their expensive purchase is beaten by another one of his i dont know

aside from the horse-trading near the festival which is a pain for punters i cant fault him. only begrudgers do
Report GLASGOWCALLING March 19, 2025 11:51 PM GMT
Its past anything to do with being Irish and down to the fact it is boring as feck. Long term domination in sport is not good for the sport and at no point in history has any trainer been so dominant (either code) and it doesn't look like ending. Obv can't blame the Mullins camp for being so good but it just turns people off long term, esp casual viewers.
     
     I am with Spyker on this one, getting more disintrested by the year.
Report 1st time poster March 20, 2025 8:45 AM GMT
all people are asking is Mullins sorts out the wheat from his chaff at home, he,ll have more novice hurdler,s pulled up ,beaten a distance at chelt than get placed, his 100,s winner could have been any of another 6 in the race in which 3 pulled up and 2 beaten a distance,all those 4 yr old hurdles in ire  for 6 months and the winner of one of chelts jewels wasn't even seen on a racecourse and its trainer didn't no it was one of his coming down to the last
Report Cardinal Scott April 3, 2025 1:52 PM BST
IMPERIOUS!
Report Cardinal Scott April 3, 2025 3:04 PM BST
Willie Mullins Detractors

REELING!
Report CaptainCristy April 3, 2025 4:04 PM BST
What gets forgotten is that it isn’t only the ‘British’ with the problem, Irish trainers are no doubt fed up of it as well, Elliot who was his only contender has been decimated.
Report impossible123 April 3, 2025 8:43 PM BST
I do not think any non-Irish punter (certainly not me) would begrudge Mr Mullins having the 1st 4 winners at Aintree today given none was a shortie or fav. The 1st (Impaire) had been rested (and backed); 2nd (Murcia) was heavily backed too; 3rd (Gaelic) was an enigma; 4th (Lossie) had the best form over the distance, and should have been fav.
Report workrider April 3, 2025 10:52 PM BST
Correct Impossible..
Report uptheirons April 4, 2025 12:13 AM BST
Should have been favourite?
Implausible would do well to remember his name
Report fullset April 4, 2025 12:38 AM BST
What Willie did in the Triumph ruined the race for backers and , I'd say , for spectators. He's  a sound man and a great trainer , but in this instance he got it wrong .
Hopefully this was an aberration,  otherwise it suggests he's lost his love for the sport , and only sees it as a business . A lot of people think he's killing the goose that lays the golden eggs .
And by the way , this has nothing to do with him being Irish . I've never met a true racing man who didn't like and admire Irish racing people .
Report uptheirons April 4, 2025 12:42 AM BST
The Triumph winner was "having a run",hence the BF SP of 224 for a horse owned by Bloom
Report LoyalHoncho April 4, 2025 1:51 AM BST
Couldn't agree more workrider.
The man is a genius driving a golden age of N.H.racing.
Hope you are well.
Report LoyalHoncho April 4, 2025 1:55 AM BST
Btw, I've just read Theoneandonly post timed at 07.53 which reminded me why I dropped out.
What a dolt that is.
Report workrider April 4, 2025 11:58 AM BST
Flying thanks Loyalhoncho, heading to Newton Abbot next Thursday if you're around..
Report impossible123 April 4, 2025 11:58 AM BST
Mr Mullins's The Triumph (11/37) and now the National (6/34) are not acceptable and not good for the sport esp the latter. It's denying a horse like Vango to justifiably run in the race.

I'm all for the best horses running in the race esp Group races. But, please not the prestigious handicap The National.
Report uptheirons April 4, 2025 12:05 PM BST
Mr Mullins's The Triumph (11/37) and now the National (6/34) are not acceptable and not good for the sport esp the latter. It's denying a horse like Vango to justifiably run in the race.
Absolute garbage. The Owners pay the bills and if their horses qualify they are perfectly entitled to run wherever they wish
Report FOYLESWAR April 4, 2025 12:11 PM BST
those who backed poiniros would say he fully deserved his place !
Report elise April 4, 2025 12:13 PM BST
i wouldn't take him seriously, i think most of the time it's just word spaghetti
Report penzance April 4, 2025 12:14 PM BST
Nicholls has 5 rnrs.
Not rated high enough you won't get a run.
Report impossible123 April 4, 2025 12:21 PM BST
If the very rich are allowed to monopolise or manage every race in horseracing UK then the sport can only flounder and not progress. Similarly, if the very rich or the eldest of a very rich and founding family is allowed to head up a company the company will more likely go kapoot eg repeated nepotism in famous political family eg in India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc, these fcountries were riddled with corruption, disturbances and undemocratic practices.

Regards Poniros, yes, but how many did back Poniros. Even its trainer had not realised it was in the race until he recognised the owner's colours just before the end of the race.
Report Bentring April 4, 2025 12:32 PM BST
Ye didn't cry when Dermo McLoughlin won the Irish national 3 years ago at 250/1 should he not if ran and do you think no one on the track backed it
Report Cardinal Scott April 5, 2025 4:10 PM BST
WILLIE MULLINS!WILLIE MULLINS!WILLIE MULLINS!
WILLIE MULLINS!WILLIE MULLINS!WILLIE MULLINS!
Report LoyalHoncho April 5, 2025 11:07 PM BST
Sorry impossible123 but I have to say/post that your capacity for publishing absolute drivel has not at all diminished.
Report second again April 6, 2025 7:10 AM BST
Well done Willie an amazing feat.
Report Jumper45 April 6, 2025 9:14 AM BST
It does bring up the issue also that with these very large yards, 200 + horses?, it's a job in itself keeping owners, and many different owners, happy. Then, post race, with the result it sort of justifies entering them, or at least the winner, 2nd, 3rd and 5th.
Report penzance April 6, 2025 9:19 AM BST
Took home £860K of the £1M prize money on offer.
Report CaptainCristy April 6, 2025 9:26 AM BST
Ironic that it is now Willie who is doing the crying.
Report workrider April 7, 2025 11:29 AM BST
Laugh brilliant..
Report impossible123 April 7, 2025 6:54 PM BST
I hope Mr Mullins' whips Mr Skelton's behind at Ayr this weekend. I find the latter untrustworthy and taking the mickey out of owners for his own interest.
Report Cupwinkcook April 7, 2025 9:18 PM BST
Grangeclare West drifted like a barge and ran a stinker in his prep run. No enquiry.

Horses like Appreciate It shouldnt take the place of genuine stayers who are high enough in the handicap to qualify.
And that goes for all trainers of highly rated chasers, not just Willie Mullins.

Races like the Midlands National should help qualify a horse for Aintree. Horses like Appreciate it wouldnt be entered in races like this usually, but still get in at Aintree.

Needs more balance.
Report uptheirons April 8, 2025 12:17 AM BST
Implausible as inaccurate as ever
Report paulo47 April 8, 2025 8:19 AM BST
Appreciate it fulfilled the qualifications with its second in a 3m Grade 1 Novice chase in April 2023 , I agree it was unlikely to stay but it wasnt an absolute given on that ground . They could change the conditions to ' placed in a 3m chase since xyz date '.
Report eric_morris April 8, 2025 10:29 AM BST
Well for the first time in 48 years i have placed no antepost bets following the Cheltenham Festival. It has been a great time and i will always remember the great halcyon days as far as Desert Orchid when i had my first decent antepost win on the Gold Cup and more recently of Best Mate, Istabraq, Kauto Star, Denman, Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop, Well Chief and many more.

There is a time when you realise you can’t make it pay any more and that time has come for me. Love the horses though and will keep one eye out for any greats that may appear.
Report impossible123 April 8, 2025 2:39 PM BST
Another ought not to be allowed to run at the Grand National Aintree is Meetingofthewaters. The horse clearly does not stay. He's merely making up numbers again which is contrary to what a sport is about, and a level playing field for other owners and horses eg Mr Vango.
Report penzance April 8, 2025 2:50 PM BST
Stayed better than 30 others.
Report CaptainCristy April 8, 2025 2:51 PM BST
Another one is Nick Rockett, only ever raced over 3m 5f once and was beat 30 lengths, oh hold on.
Report mrcombustible April 8, 2025 3:29 PM BST
Crisp was a non stayer
Report saxon farm April 8, 2025 3:42 PM BST
Gay Trip, Specify & Māori Venture, all non stayers.
Report second again April 8, 2025 3:52 PM BST
Hedgehunter  looked a non stayer to me in the Welsh national and at Aintree the year before he sauntered home in 2005Laugh
Report penzance April 8, 2025 3:57 PM BST
Sure Mon Mome was smashed then won it the year after.
Report CaptainCristy April 8, 2025 4:03 PM BST
I had the winner in Royal Athlete one year (apologies for the aftertiming) I don’t think it had ever run/won over 3 miles prior
Report saxon farm April 8, 2025 4:09 PM BST
^
Royal Athlete had won three 3 mile plus novice chases including a Reynoldstown, albeit 5 years previous!
Report brandyontherocks April 8, 2025 4:14 PM BST
Meetingofthewaters, who finished fifth, should not have been allowed to run??
Really??
Report CaptainCristy April 8, 2025 4:22 PM BST
Ok Saxon tried checking it but form was behind the racing post paywall, how stupid is that.
Report saxon farm April 8, 2025 4:25 PM BST
No worries, Cristy!
Report CagliariG April 8, 2025 4:29 PM BST
In the 70s there was a train of thought including the Sporting Life that a 2.5 miler was the ideal type for the GN, no idea what evidence they were using, particularly given it was more of a stamina test then. However it will never be known if a horse stays the trip unless they run close to it before tackling the race whether a 3 miler or 2.5 horse, one of the few things that has not changed.
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