GORDON Elliott’s burning ambition to be champion jumps trainer has not dimmed though he reckons it will take “another three or four years” before he can finally wrestle the title away from Willie Mullins.

Speaking at last Sunday’s Champions Dinner, hosted by the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, Elliott dismissed the notion that he had been “done on the line again” by Mullins. “I was blown out of the water,” he laughed, admitting that the season was far from a disaster for him and his team.

“Racing is a great reveller but we had 210 winners and won two Grand Nationals, so it’s brilliant. I am very lucky to have a lot of good horses but I think it will take us another three or four years to get to Willie’s level.”

Champion for the 12th time (11 in a row), Mullins was very gracious in victory and still a little shocked at how events at Punchestown had unfolded. “It was extraordinary. I went home on Tuesday evening and thought the whole thing was over. We’d had the incident with Paul [Townend] and I was feeling low, then a friend called to tell me that Gordon had actually saddled the first three in that race. I hadn’t realised that and almost crashed the car!

“By Wednesday evening [after six winners] we couldn’t understand what was happening. Faugheen [on Thursday] blew me away. I don’t usually get emotional about horses but that got to me. Ruby and I watched him work the previous Saturday and said ‘that’s him gone’. Whatever somebody did between then and Thursday must have freshened him up.”

Addressing Elliott’s obvious disappointment, Mullins said: “I was there a few times myself this season – at Fairyhouse when you beat me, at Aintree when you beat me, and at Cheltenham where we had seven winners and you still beat us.”

TOP OWNER

Of course Mullins has won his last two championships without the support of leading owners Gigginstown House Stud. Michael O’Leary’s operation continues to produce impressive results and Eddie O’Leary was on hand to receive the champion owner trophy for the sixth time.

“We’re very, very happy with the season,” he said. “We have good trainers and a good bit of luck.”

He added that Punchestown faller Samcro was “okay” and it would be Elliott’s decision as to whether the horse went chasing or not this season.

PAT SMULLEN

Chairman Noel Meade sent best wishes to Pat Smullen, whose wife Frances was on hand to pick up his winter series champion jockey award. She reported: “Pat has had his first treatment session and has started on the road to recovery. He asked me to thank everyone for their call, texts and cards. He appreciates every one of them. We would also like to give special thanks to Adrian McGoldrick for looking after Pat so well.”

Joseph O’Brien was the leading trainer at Dundalk last winter and, when picking up his trophy, he also reflected on his Melbourne Cup success and two Dublin Racing Festival winners.

One member of the O’Brien family a shade unfortunate not to win an award was Ana O’Brien. She was a clear leader in the apprentice championship when she had a very serious fall at Killarney in July. Despite not riding again, she only lost out by two winners to eventual champion Oisin Orr.

Accepting his award, Orr said: “Only for her fall Ana had it won. Killian Leonard and I fought it out after that and, luckily for me, I held on to win by one. Moonmeister’s win in the Cork Derby was probably the highlight.”

GOLD CUP

Donie McInerney was in doubt about the most important of his 34 winners in the past jumps season. The newly-crowned champion National Hunt conditional rider said: “Winning the La Touche at Punchestown on Auvergnant was a dream. It’s Enda Bolger’s Gold Cup!”

You could forgive Patrick Mullins for wanting to take a break after the drama of Cheltenham and Punchestown but he has some unfinished business to attend to. Receiving the champion amateur trophy for the 10th time, he said: “I just need one more to match Ted Walsh, that would be nice.”

Looking back on the “extraordinary” week at Punchestown, Patrick said that Faugheen’s return to top form gave him and the team more satisfaction than his own Grade 1 victory aboard Un De Sceaux.

Lisa O’Neill is champion lady amateur for the first time. Her 20 winners last season included a second consecutive Kerry National and a Ladies Derby at the Curragh. She acknowledged the importance of having the support of trainer Gordon Elliott.

Of course there was no trophy for Elliott himself following the ‘Mullins Show’ at Punchestown but he was called on stage to represent the absent champion jump jockey Davy Russell.

Also absent was trainer Pat Kelly who was recognised for his feat in saddling a Cheltenham Festival winner for the past three seasons. Albie Reynolds, brother of Presenting Percy’s owner Philip Reynolds, reported that Pat’s son Tony is making a slow but full recovery from injuries he sustained in a fall at Southwell last month.

PRESSURE ON

Coolmore’s Christy Grassick stepped up to receive the Leading Flat Owner award on behalf of Sue Magnier. He admitted they were “blessed” to have 28 Group 1 winners last year and joked that the pressure was on Aidan O’Brien to do the same trick again this year.

Aidan was soon on stage himself and told MC Kevin O’Ryan: “I’m amazed when we win any race!” Looking back on last year’s incredible results for Ballydoyle, he added: “It was down to a lot of hard work by everybody. We are very privileged to train where we are and we have an unbelievable team. Everyone did their best to make it happen and that’s why it happened.”

Looking ahead to the Kentucky Derby, he sounded quite upbeat about Mendelssohn’s chances. “We were delighted with him in Dubai. He showed he stayed nine furlongs at least and he handled dirt. America will be tougher but he has been there before and ran on all the aids. We have an idea what to do with him.”

Colin Keane collected his champion flat jockey award after a season which saw him ride 100 winners in Ireland and register his first Group 1 success in Italy. He also passed on some good words about the quality of Ger Lyons’ two-year-olds this season.

RETIRING LADIES

The awards part of the evening ended with a special presentation to Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh, both of whom retired from race-riding last weekend. Katie revealed that it had been on her mind since January. It’s very busy with the breezers and something had to give. I would have loved to sign off by winning the Aintree National [on Baie Des Iles, trained by her husband Ross) but it wasn’t to be. After that, I decided I would go after my next winner, whenever that came.”

Nina, whose first baby Rosie is almost a year old, added: “Rosie is nearly walking now and things are more demanding at home. The evening meetings are coming in and it doesn’t really suit me, so this is the right time.”

The evening began with an address from local TD and Fine Gael chairman Martin Heydon. He updated guests on the Brexit talks and urged listeners to use any influence they had in British political circles to get the UK Government to “step back from certain red-line issues.”

Deputy Heydon also reiterated his hope that betting tax would be raised in the next Budget and, addressing the Labour Court ruling on racing’s working conditions, he expressed a belief that “we can get clarity on the ruling before the summer recess.” The Attorney General has been asked by the Government for his opinion on the matter.

Nick Nugent closed the evening with a highly amusing and somewhat risqué after-dinner speech. Reprinting the punchlines here wouldn’t do them justice. It’s the way he tells them.

AWARD WINNERS

Winter Series Champion Trainer: JOSEPH O’BRIEN

Winter Series Champion Jockey: PAT SMULLEN

Champion Apprentice: OISIN ORR

Champion Conditional NH Jockey: DONAL McINERNEY

Champion Amateur Rider: PATRICK MULLINS

Champion Lady Amateur Rider: LISA O’NEILL

Leading Flat Owner: SUE MAGNIER

Leading NH Owner: GIGGINSTOWN HOUSE STUD

Champion Flat Jockey: COLIN KEANE

Champion Flat Trainer: AIDAN O’BRIEN

Champion NH Jockey: DAVY RUSSELL

Special Achievement: PAT KELLY

Champion NH Trainer: WILLIE MULLINS