Glens Melody and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins equaled Aidan O'Brien's seventeen year old record for amount of winners trained (155) in one season when his Glens Melody landed the I.T.B.A. Fillies Scheme Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse today.
Mullins' 'season mirabilis' shows no signs of faltering and the Champion Trainer, who 'blotted' his copybook with no winner at Clonmel on Thursday, maintained a truly amazing 35% strike-rate for the season when Paul Townend steered Glens Melody to a comfortable two and three parts of a length win over Byerley Babe
The win draws Mullins level with Aidan O'Brien, who in 1995/96 season registered 155 winners. There are over three months of the season left in Ireland and Mullins is now set to create a huge new record.
Following Glens Melody's win, Mullins stated “she is improving away but she didn't jump particularly well until she had to, at the last two. She showed a good turn of foot to put it to bed and she stayed on well.
“She'll come back here for the new Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at the Festival.”
He added “her owners, Jim and Fiona McStay, aren't here today as they are in Glasgow to see their two daughters compete in the World Irish Dancing Contest - hopefully they'll get on as well as the mare did here!”
Quotes from Gary Carson
