And it would have been a great week for nearly every other trainer.
It just goes to show the totally different level Willie Mullins is at and the standards we judge with that nine winners over the four day festive period can be called a disastrous week.
And let’s not kid ourselves, it was a bad week for the Clonsutton yard. The tragic loss of the great Nichols Canyon, who had to be put down after a fall in the Christmas hurdle, was an obvious low point. Faugheen’s inexplicably bad showing in the Ryanair hurdle was a huge disappointment. Djakadam and Yorkhill never travelled or threatened in the Christmas Chase.
Mullins now has a huge decision to make over Yorkhill. The 8-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most talented National Hunt horses in training, anywhere, but the longer three mile trip clearly doesn’t suit him.
He likes a fast pace. He likes a true run race. All the fears that he struggles to settle himself into a longer run race, such as the Gold Cup, were confirmed.
Kevin Blake feels that Yorkhill is "is one of, if not the single most talented National Hunt horse in training right now" but hasn't been campaigned in a manner that best showcases his talent.
Agree or disagree?! 🤔 pic.twitter.com/3NEBrFD5Jc
— My Racing Tips (@myracingtips) December 30, 2017
He pulled and dragged Paul Townend all over the place on Thursday, never settled and eventually trailed home. Last year’s JLT Novice’s Chase Champion needs a drop back down in trip.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase is calling.
It was very tough to lose Nichols Canyon today. A terrific horse for the Wylie’s and for our yard. Thank you to the vets @LeopardstownRC and for all the kind messages
— Willie Mullins (@WillieMullinsNH) December 28, 2017
On top of all of these big race struggles, even in some of the smaller races, the hotly tipped Mullins charges that we are so used to seeing romping up, they either fell or trailed home disappointingly.
Take the fancied Bacardys who looked beaten before falling on Thursday. Take Min who was first to pass the post, but was subsequently downgraded to second place behind the Nicky Richards trained Simply Ned after a steward’s enquiry. It seemed nothing was going right for the Mullins team.
What is wrong with Willie Mullins yard ??
— Richie O Sullivan (@RichieSull2011) January 1, 2018
But by the end of the week, he still had nine winners. That was the second highest of all of the trainers in Ireland. He was only two behind Gordon Elliot, who’s stable was seen as one in red hot form. Henry De Bromhead was in the winners enclosure eight times, Noel Meade was in there four times.
Mullins’ ‘disaster’ entailed a highly impressive Grade 1 victory in the Racing Post Novice Chase for the talented Footpad on St. Stephen’s day.
Assistant trainer and the stable’s amateur jockey Paddy Mullins rode three winners for his father in the bumper races on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday respectively. Indeed, it seems that no matter how bad things are for the stable, they are still always a safe bet to take these races for the inexperienced horses, the horses for the future.
The Rich Ricci owned Let’s Dance landed the spoils in Friday’s Grade 3. It wasn’t all bad.
🐎 🕺 Let's Dance wins the Mares Hurdle for the second year in a row.
Fanatastic win for Willie Mullins at #Leopardstown ! pic.twitter.com/m4Ix3s6KI9
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) December 29, 2017
“If there’s a problem, we’ll fix it. There’s plenty of time before Cheltenham,” said Paddy to the At The Races cameras after Faugheen’s flooring.
“It Feels like a long, long winter. Cheltenham’s far away,” said Rich Ricci.
The great Faugheen was pulled uphttps://t.co/LV7I5jFB1P
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 29, 2017
The fact that this whole experience is referred to as a ‘disaster’ and a ‘problem’ – that just goes to underline the outrageous standards of this yard. It just shows the massive expectations we hold for them, and the sheer insatiable appetite for winning that they have ingrained in themselves.
It just shows how far ahead they are of everybody else in the game.
And who’d bet against them ‘fixing it’? Because it seems they already are.
On New Years Eve, Willie produced a master training performance as the supremely talented Killultagh Vic stormed to victory in Punchestown, in his first race in 714 days.
He's back! After 714 days away, it's a triumphant return for Killultagh Vic at @punchestownrace under @PTownend for @WillieMullinsNH: pic.twitter.com/h3Bcp06IEq
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 31, 2017
On Monday, Paul Townend completed a double in Tramore, when the impressive Bachasson won the big race of the day.
A chaser very much going the right way – Bachasson takes @TramoreRaces richest race – the Listed Savills 'a Different Outlook' Chase: pic.twitter.com/xvJTrrzK5e
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 1, 2018
A crisis for Willie Mullins isn’t really a crisis.
That’s how good he is.
