Paddy Mullins

Thank you Mr Mullins for one of the greatest experiences I have had at Cheltenham (course and town). RIP.
 
Sad news, but he had a grand life and the pleasure of seeing the next generation of his family build on his success, and the grandchildren are also doing well.

Thanks for putting up that link, golfer

It's interesting to read that in the mid 80s his yard of 50 boxes was the biggest in the country. It's true that Vincent O'Brien never trained big numbers but I would have guessed that Dermot Weld already had a bigger yard by then.
 
Paddy was a wonderful trainer but it was with mares that he excelled with especially. Many will of course remember the likes of the great mare Dawn Run and Vintage Tipple in the latter stages of his career. However he was also associated with some super mares down through the years including Minorettes Girl and the globetrotting Grabel.

There was no finer a trainer of bumper horses and he saddled some really classy types down through the years, including the multiple winner Noble Thyne, who had the distinction of beating the mighty Istabraq on his debut.

Indeed, it is testament to his legacy that his sons Willie and Tom, who both rode for him as amateurs for him, are so highly successful in that particular discipline.

A mighty trainer and man, he will be sorely missed.
 
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Asian Maze was some mare,he passed her on to Tom.

The manner of Vintage Tipples victory, there was never any doubt about it, showed the flat boys whats what that day.

RIP.
 
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And let's not forget that he also trained Sound Man to win before sold to David Lloyd/Eddie O'Grady. I remember Sound Man winning his bumper first time out at Leopardstown. He was heavily punted and my father said I should back him because Paddy would only try with a very decent horse first time out and his owner, Fergus Taaffe I think, was a bit of a gambler. He romped home and we were all happy. After that, I used to ask my dad why his bumper horses used to have three ducks eggs and then a win from the front in bumpers, given that Paddy could train horses. He said Paddy was known as a gambling yard and that he missed out on more horses because of it, but those owners that went to him were more than happy for Paddy to tell them when the gamble was on. A couple of runs down the field and then off in front by 20 lengths to win a bumper. Unfortunately, he also said Paddy didn't always tell his owners when the gamble was going to be landing so he went into severe decline and was really only resurrected when Tom took control and Vintage Tipple won the Oaks. I'd imagine he was the original version of Charles Byrnes then.

PS Cloughtaney another favourite
 
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LUKE said:
I found Mullins impossible to work out.
Click to expand...

Remember the controversy over Redundant Pal one Christmas. Think he was being aimed at the Ladbroke and they didn't want a penalty. Anchored all the way. Won the Ladbroke after I think, and again the following year.
 
I remember it well.I mostly ignored Irish jump racing outside the very best races for the 80's and early 90's.
 
Lovely, informative link, Scratch Golfer - very many thanks for that. I was going to ask if anything had been written, like a biog or autobiog, and that's answered it. What a super long, continuing dynasty, peppered with some very fine animals. I like that little anecdote about the horse holding onto his shoulder for two hours, while he refused to beat it off, and his notion that trying to fit the right handler to the horse was worthwhile. I've absolutely no doubt that that's right. Horses can become unhappy quickly when the vibes are wrong, just as they are with people.

Most enjoyable read - makes me want to find out much more now.
 
Yes, thank you for posting this link, really enjoyed it. What is from? Are there other articles?

I knew little about Paddy in the early days but followed his later horses. A legend and one that leaves behind a deep legacy. Sounds like he led a grand life, and for sure made a great age.
 
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