Trainer Tony Mullins has confirmed that Paddy Kehoe, owner of the Group 1-winning stayer Princess Zoe, has decided to move the mare to elsewhere.
The decision comes as a bitter blow to Mullins, who famously sourced Princess Zoe from Germany, and transformed her from being a middle-of-the-road-handicapper to being one of the best stayers in Europe.
Her career highlight for Mullins came when taking out the G1 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp in 2020 and she had achieved big-race success as recently as last season when landing the G3 Sagaro S. at Ascot.
However, a winter spent hurdling–where Princess Zoe enjoyed mixed fortunes–is said to be at the root of the disagreement between Mullins and his owner.
He told TDN Europe on Monday, “It's terribly, terribly disappointing–I will never forget the mare anyway. She is gone to another trainer. Paddy bought out the other shareholder who disagreed with the decision. I had a connection with that mare that I don't think I had with any other horse in my life.”
He added, “We'll have to live with it now. It's a tough one to take but I'll never forget her. Paddy was adamant about forging out a hurdling career with her and he thought that Danny [Mullins, jockey and Tony's son] didn't get on with her. I didn't agree with either thing.
“I thought that, if she came around, there might be another Flat race in her. But, for me, persisting at hurdling is not something I could agree with.”
I thought Princess Zoe was going to stud but seemingly not pic.twitter.com/PvzqesjtJG
— Tony Mullins (@tonymullins84) May 8, 2023
Princess Zoe has won £428,676 in career earnings. She was offered at last year's December Mares Sale at Tattersalls but failed to meet her reserve and was bought back by connections for 300,000gns.
Kehoe, who voiced his criticism about Danny Mullins on Twitter after Cheltenham in March, was contacted for comment by TDN Europe on Monday and confirmed that Princess Zoe had been taken away from her trainer but failed to elaborate further.
He said, “There are other things involved here which I do not want to comment on. I have no doubt that Tony won't want to comment either.”
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