Legendary horse trainer Paddy Mullins dies
It was confirmed on Thursday morning that the great trainer of the Horse Racing Industry Paddy Mullins passed away at the age of 91. Trainers and fans of the sport were taken aback with the sad news.
Paddy Mullins was an Irish trainer based at Closutton, Bagnelstown, Co Carlow, Ireland.
The late trainer will always be remembered and fancied by the sports and analysts and all those involved in the horse racing industry, for his great and remarkable contributions to the sport. Mullins was the holder of the training licence for over 52 years.
His first winner racehorse was Flash Parade who won the La Touche Memorial Cup at Punchestown that took place back in April 1953. Apart from training racehorses, he also has the honour to be the trainer of some of the most talented and high profile jumper
and flat horses. The most significant year of Mullins’ training career was 2003, when his colt Vintage Tipple won the first classic event. Then his horse, Nearly A Moose won the Galway Plate. The latter classic race was won by one of his other horses Boro
Quarter some 17 years before Nearly A Moose. Paddy Mullins claimed his first Cheltenham victory in the year 1968 when his colt Herring Gull won the Totalisator Champion, the event which is now known as the Royal and Sun Alliance.
The talented Irish trainer is most popularly known as the trainer of the champion mare Dawn Run. Dawn Run is the only racehorse to have won the Champion Hurdle (1984) and the Gold Cup (1986) at the Cheltenham Festival.
The victory in the 2003 Irish Oaks and then saddling Hurry Harriet to win the Champion Stakes (1973) held at New Market are also Mullins’ achievements that are worth mentioning. In the reminiscence of his clinching victory at the latter event, Mullins was
reported as saying, “That race was the highlight of my career, as she beat the best filly in Europe, Allez France. Dawn Run was another great mare, having won the Champion Hurdle in 1984 before going back to win the Gold Cup two years later.”
Paddy Mullins’ sons, Willie and Tom are also champion trainers. The trend of being legendary trainers runs in the family as Paddy’s grandson, Patrick Mullins is also acknowledged as a champion amateur trainer.
The sympathies of all the fans go out to his family and friends.
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