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Alan Magee

Alan Magee

Mullins family success in feature

Fri 27th Dec 2013, 16:21

Rockyaboya (right) just holds on from Cause Of CausesRockyaboya (right) just holds on from Cause Of Causes
© Photo Healy Racing

One a week that not much has gone right so far for Willie Mullins, the champion trainer turned a big corner by landing the most valuable race of the Christmas period with Rockyaboya in the €190,000 Paddy Power Chase.

The victory was made all the more sweet as the champion trainer’s son Patrick owns the well-backed 7/1 chance, and both Mullins’ sported big smiles as they greeted the winner back in the wind and rain.

Willie Mullins said, “He was lucky to get into the race as I had to upset another one of my owners (wife Jackie) by taking out Popcorn! That’s my first Paddy Power and it’s great to get that one as a lot of things have not gone well this week.

“It was a fair performance from a horse with very little experience to do that. Also it’s not often that Ruby gets down to 10st3lb, and that was a tip in itself.”

Patrick Mullins added, “I was a lot more nervous standing on the ground watching. A lot of credit must go to a good friend of mine Paul Byrne who recommended the horse. He was bought for small money, and I couldn’t sell him as he had different injuries.”

While four winners in two days at Leopardstown and Limerick can hardly be called a barren spell, a number of the Closutton big guns have failed to hit the target with eight beaten favourites over the two days.

The result was only confirmed after a rousing finish in front of 13,031 racegoers, with Walsh’s mount just holding off the late challenge of 6/1 favourite Cause Of Causes by a short-head. Ipsos Du Berlais was a length and three quarters back in third, while fellow 20/1 chance Victrix Gale completed the placings in fourth.

About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.