The Mullins brigade - Diakali (left) winner© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins bagged his 24th Grade 1 winner of his record breaking 2012/13 season when his Diakali led home a 1-2-3-4 for the Champion Trainer in the concluding top level race of the season, the Grade 1 AES Champion 4YO Hurdle at Punchestown today.
Mullins' domination of the whole season has been there for all to see (who numbered Grade 1 wins in France and Japan) but couldn't have been emphasised any more than in today's race.
Six runners set out but the action at the second last flight produced something extraordinary as all of Mullins four runners (Diakali, Blood Cotil Djackadam and Dogora took the flight upsides and in the air together, clear of the remainder.
From there Diakali found most to defeat his stablemates by two lengths and more.
Mullins later stated “he's (Diakali) a horse who is a bit hard on himself and while he jumped well today, we've a lot more work to do at home to teach him to settle but the hood certainly helped today.
“He is a very keen horse and I think there's a lot more to come if we can get him to settle properly.”
The win was Mullins' 12th of the week at Punchestown and his 192nd of an exceptional season.
By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee
