The outcome of Saturday’s Randox Aintree Grand National is set to prove crucial to Willie Mullins’s chances of securing a new landmark in his already stellar career.
It is 70 years since the legendary Vincent O’Brien managed to be crowned Britain’s champion National Hunt trainer while based in Ireland. That 1954 milestone included Early Tan’s Grand National victory, the middle leg of a famous O’Brien hat-trick in the race with a trio of different horses.
Mullins, who has had an 18th trainers’ title in Ireland long since assured, and with a record 242 domestic winners already this season, has a powerful hand in the world’s most famous steeplechase with eight entries currently among the top 34 slots in what is a reduced maximum field this year.
They include the 8-1 second favourite I Am Maximus as well as other prime hopes Meetingofthewaters and Mr Incredible likely to figure among the acceptors at Monday’s latest declaration stage.
IHRB left to tot up reputational damage after charity fund raided to pay staff
Report into IHRB financial matter of ‘grave concern’ concludes €350k transfer breached Charities Act
Luke Comer Jnr free to continue training horses after an IHRB panel accept appeal
Willie Mullins already planning for next year after disappointing Melbourne Cup
It is 19 years since Mullins saddled Hedgehunter to win the world’s most famous steeplechase, although a similar result this time has the potential to put a seal on the Irishman’s unprecedented dominance of National Hunt racing.
A total of nine winners at Cheltenham last month took him past a century of festival winners in all and lifted his cross-channel prize money haul this season to just over €2.2 million. That puts him third in the table behind Paul Nicholls (€2.9 million) and leader Dan Skelton on just more than €3 million.
Bookmakers reckon Nicholls is a 4-9 favourite to ultimately emerge on top when the British season ends later this month, with Mullins a 3-1 next best. However, a National success, with its first prize of over €650,000, has the potential to completely reframe the title race.
The Irishman’s numerical strength among other entries still in the reckoning for Aintree’s three-day festival, which starts on Thursday, indicates a possible repeat of 2016′s trainer’s championship dramatics when Mullins took it to the last day of the season before Nicholls ultimately won.
On that occasion Mullins sent 34 runners to Liverpool, with six winners, and afterwards found himself competing at comparative outposts such as Perth before eventually having to give best. A fall by Vautour in an Aintree Grade One may have proved decisive in prize money terms.
Impaire Et Passe and the Triumph Hurdle runner-up Kargesse are among potential Mullins runners on day one of the Aintree festival, while the Supreme runner-up Mystical Power could run on Friday.
In other news, Irish jockey Aidan Coleman announced his retirement on Sunday after admitting defeat in his attempt to return to action after a serious leg injury sustained last summer.
The 35-year-old from Innishannon in Co Cork has had several surgeries on his knee and a shattered tibia following a fall at Worcester in June.
“The prognosis early was quite bleak about returning to ride. But around September when the rehab was early I was kidding myself that I could get back from this. In early December I had another operation and since that the progress has really plateaued,” said Coleman.
“The gym is good because it’s a stable surface but I can’t run or jump. I can’t ride a horse really. A lot of people would say I couldn’t anyway so what’s the difference!
“Since Christmas, every time I’ve tried to ride a horse it’s not really gone well and I just can’t really do it and I definitely wouldn’t be able to ride in a race or anything like that.
“Speaking to Jerry Hill [the BHA’s chief medical adviser] and my surgeon, my chances of improving are negative now, so that’s it. My knee won’t stand the demands of being a jockey or get anywhere near it, so that’s it,” Coleman added.
He enjoyed major Cheltenham Festival success with Henry de Bromhead’s Put The Kettle On in the 2021 Queen Mother Champion Chase and Paisley Park in 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle.
Coleman famously overlooked the 100-1 Mon Mome in favour of a stable companion in the 2009 Grand National. Mon Mone won under the late Liam Treadwell.
Separately, Frankie Dettori gave US fans a taste of his famous 1996 Magnificent Seven when winning six races in a row on Saturday night’s Santa Anita Derby card.
The Italian’s winning streak included the Santa Anita Oaks on Nothing Like You, although he ultimately came up short in the Derby itself when runner-up on Imagination.
“He’s just a phenomenon”, said Imagination’s trainer Bob Baffert. “He’s world-class and has brought his talent to every stage.”
