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One Of Irish Racing’s Most Beloved Figures Maureen Mullins Dies Aged 94

Maureen Mullins, Irish racing's great matriarch and the mother of the champion trainer Willie Mullins, has died at the age of 94 following a short illness.

Wife of the late Paddy Mullins, a multiple champion handler who managed the career of the great Dawn Run before passing away aged 91 in 2010, Maureen leaves an incredible legacy behind her.

She had four sons and a daughter–trainers Tom, Willie and Tony along with George and daughter Sandra–who have gone on to make the Mullins name a dominant force in Irish racing and beyond.

The remarkable tradition has been continued through Maureen's grandchildren, with Willie's son Patrick becoming the record-breaking Irish champion amateur, Tony's son Danny scooping multiple Grade 1s in the saddle and George's son Emmet, who also partnered many big-race winners as a rider, emulating his uncle Willie's achievements in winning the Grand National as a trainer with Noble Yeats in 2022. Six years previously, it was Tom's son David who partnered the Mouse Morris-trained Rule The World to win the Aintree showpiece.

On Tuesday, another one of her grandchildren, Charlie, led home a one-two-three for Willie in the bumper at Thurles.

Maureen was an ever-present figure on an Irish racecourse and was in attendance at her local track Gowran Park for its flagship Thyestes Chase fixture on January 25 where she was on hand to officially open the new weighroom.

At the Horse Racing Ireland Awards in 2016, she was presented with the Contribution to the Industry Award.

Willie commented at the time, “That was unexpected, and great for her and for everyone in the family. She enjoys her racing, enjoys life, and has an interest in everyone's horses–mine, Tony's, Tom's–and the careers of Danny, David and Patrick. It's a lot to keep her occupied.”

She was also a winning rider herself, steering Razzo Forte to glory in a female riders' event at Gowran Park in 1982, a race which her daughter also rode in. She was involved as an owner and breeder down the years, with Kilcruit a recent feather in her cap having won the Grade 1 Punchestown bumper following his sale having initially raced in her colours.

Requiem mass will take place at 12 o'clock on Friday in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Goresbridge, County Kilkenny, followed by burial in the new cemetery, Goresbridge.

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Kildare Doping Investigation Concludes, Case File Sent to DPP

An equine doping investigation, which began after a raid near Monasterevin in Co Kildare in November of 2021, has now concluded, RTE Sport reported on Tuesday.

Products that were not licenced for equine dispensation in Ireland were found at the site of the raid among other items. A statement issued the day after the raid described the operation of searches and seizure of products “as part of an ongoing investigation into equine doping”.

A case file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after a period of intelligence sharing with both international and Irish agencies. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). The DPP has yet to rule on whether there is sufficient evidence to pursue criminal proceedings.

“Regarding enforcement actions arising the specific operation highlighted, the department's investigation is now concluded, and a case file has been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions,” a DAFM statement issued in response to queries about the status of the investigation read in part.

Hair and blood samples were taken from racehorses at the yard before they were allowed to leave the premises by Irish Horse Racing Board chief veterinary officer and head of anti-doping Dr. Lynn Hillyer. All the samples tested negative for prohibited-at-all-times substances.

The statement continued: “With regard to the query on wider equine doping activities, while the department, for operational reasons, does not comment on ongoing investigations or provide details of investigating officers, a central function of the department is to strategically support agencies and other relevant bodies to investigate non-compliances, or incidents across the agri-food industry.

“In this context, the department works closely with other national agencies/bodies, including An Garda Siochána and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, in the investigation of equine related alleged offences. The department also engages with other international enforcement authorities, as necessary, in this regard including the sharing/receiving of intelligence.”

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Gemix Colt Leads The Way at Arqana

Unraced three-year colt Le Kerry (Fr) (Gemix {Fr}) headed the first day of Arqana's February Sale when sold for €200,000 to Ecurie de Launay. Offered as lot 60 by Karwin Farm, the son of Snow Berry (Fr) (Dream Well {Ire}) was bred by Haras de Maulepaire and is from a family of prolific jumps winners. His dam is a half-sister to Le Berry (Fr), who is also by the Grade 1-winning hurdler Gemix and was himself the winner of 11 races over jumps, including the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois. The further family also includes the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup winner Dunaden (Fr).

After signing for the grey, Jerome Glandais of Ecurie de Launay, who was buying on behalf of Ecurie Sofiane Benaroussi said, “It's a very nice family and we bought her sister by Doctor Dino in November. We haven't decided on a trainer yet but he will stay in France.”

A total of 111 horses changed hands in Deauville on Tuesday from 148 to pass through the ring. The clearance rate dropped by 3% from last year to 75%, but across the board figures were close to those achieved in 2023 from a similar sized offering. At €1,685,000 the turnover receded by 5%, while the average of €15,149 was down by just 1%.

Horses in training filled much of the top of the leader board, with Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock going to €80,000 early in the day for lot 6, the three-year-old Princess Child (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), who was runner-up in the Listed Prix Herod last year for Laura Lemiere. Out of a half-sister to the G3 Prix La Force winner Chilean (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), the filly also won three times in Madrid in 2023.

David Skelly and Charlestown Racing also gave €80,000 for Titanium (Fr), a five-year-old son of Zarak (Fr) who has won six races and been Listed-placed for Alesssandro Botti over the last two seasons. Offered as lot 85, the gelding's full-brother was sold for €160,000 to Alex Elliott at the BBAG Yearling Sale last September.

The action resumes at Arqana on Wednesday at 11am local time with a final session of breeding and young stock.

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Luxembourg Opts For Neom Turf Cup, As Isolate Draws Into Saudi Cup

Multiple Group 1 winner Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who was slated to make his dirt debut in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup later this month, will not run in the 1800-metre main track affair, according to the latest list of probables released by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. With Luxembourg's absence, multiple group winner Isolate (Mark Valeski) draws into the main body of the field for trainer Doug Watson and owner RRR Racing.

The Coolmore partners' runner, a winner of the 2023 G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, the 2022 G1 Irish Champion S. and 2021 G1 Futurity Trophy for trainer Aidan O'Brien, has been re-routed to the $2-million G2 Neom Turf Cup over an extended mile and a quarter earlier on the card. He ran second in both the 2023 Irish Champion S. in September and missed by only a nose to Hong Kong standout Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Hong Kong Cup.

Kieran Cotter is also planning to send his stable star Matilda Picotte (Ire) to Riyadh, where her intended target is the 1351 Saudi Turf Sprint.

Third in last year's 1,000 Guineas, the daughter of Sioux Nation ended 2023 with back-to-back wins in the G3 Sceptre S. at Doncaster and the G2 Challenge S. at Newmarket.

“She's doing fantastic, she had a break for six or seven weeks out at grass and then prior to Christmas we got an invitation to run in the Sprint,” Cotter said.

“She's back in and being prepared for that, we're delighted with her and she leaves for Saudi on Saturday morning to run the following Saturday.

“She flies from Shannon to Stansted and then it's direct to Riyadh. Door to door it's a 20-hour journey, which is no more than from here to Newmarket and she's a very good traveller.”

He added of the Turf Sprint, which is worth $2 million, “It's serious money and we had to take the opportunity. Our main target this year is to try to win a Group 1 with her and it's a Group 2, but if she's a Group 1 horse she'll have to go close.

“A few of the owners are going, there'll be enough there to make a bit of noise anyway! She's never run a bad race so it's all to play for.”

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