Mullins named as National Hunt ambassador

Champion Trainer Willie Mullins was given the role of National Hunt Ambassador at the launch of the jumps' season at the Co Carlow trainer's yard today.

Mullins, who trained 110 winners last season and netted €2.2m in prize-money, was announced by Horse Racing Ireland as their National Hunt Ambassador for the 2009/10 season.

In his role as HRI's first National Hunt Ambassador, Willie Mullins will be giving racegoers an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at his yard's big race preparations, recording the highs and lows, as he will be twittering his way through the winter and will also have a dedicated Facebook page.

Willie Mullins has been amongst Ireland's top National Hunt trainers since he took out his licence in 1988 and last year he gained a record number of 136 winners, more than twice as many as his closest pursuer in the trainers' championship race, whilst boasting an incredible strike rate of over 26%.

Mullins' stable stars include last season's Cheltenham winners Cooldine, Mikael D'Haguenet and Quevega, while the unbeaten five-year-old Hurricane Fly is already favourite for the Champion Hurdle. With many other established stars and a host of promising bumper winners to unleash, Willie already looks well placed to retain his trainers' crown this season.

Tamso Doyle, HRI PR Manager said: "We are delighted that Willie Mullins has agreed to be HRI's first National Hunt Ambassador, given his high profile international successes of recent years when he has won just about every major prize in Ireland, most of the big ones in Britain including the King George and Grand National, and two Champion Hurdles in France as well for good measure.

"Willie will be going on-line and bringing racing to Twitter and Facebook which many of our audience increasingly use for information and entertainment. He will also be doing a weekly blog on www.goracing.ie which we hope will bring added interest and excitement to what already looks like a mouth-watering National Hunt season ahead".

Mullins himself said: "I'm delighted to be working with Horse Racing Ireland this season and I am honoured to be appointed their first National Hunt Ambassador. I think it's important to give back and help to promote the sport we all love.

"I look forward to letting people know more about the inner workings of our yard and hopefully this in turn will encourage them to go racing and watch the horses in action. For sheer sporting entertainment in Ireland this winter, you will do well to beat a good day's National Hunt racing.

"There is a veritable feast of top class racing to be enjoyed right through the season with many of the best National Hunt horses in the world currently in training in Ireland. I probably have my strongest team of horses and, while anything can happen as we know in racing, it's wonderful just to have this in-depth quality around in the yard and I look forward to sharing in the hopefully exciting times ahead."

Willie Mullins, who trains more than 100 horses and employs 30 people, was joined at his open day by his wife Jackie, son Patrick and top jockeys Paul Townend, David Casey, Emmet Mullins, David Condon and Katie Walsh as he put 40 of his top horses through their paces at his gallops in Closutton, Bagnelstown, Co.Carlow.