AS far as pedigrees go, there are few better than Scarlett Mullion’s. Granddaughter of J.R and Meg Mullion on her dad’s side and Lady Clague on her mum’s side, it’s no surprise that Scarlett has immersed herself in the racing and breeding industries.

J.R and Meg Mullion would be best known for owning Ardenode and Ragusa Studs, and owning the 1963 Irish Derby winner Ragusa.

Trained by Paddy Prendergast, the Ribot-sired colt had a Timeform rating of 137 with a roll of honour including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Great Voltigeur Stakes and St. Leger Stakes in 1963, and the Eclipse Stakes a year later. Princess Pati was another Mullion-owned star, winning the 1984 Irish Oaks for trainer Con Collins.

Lady Clague ran a successful private yearling and breeding farm under the Newberry Stud Company banner, producing horses such as Snaefell who won eight races for Michael Halford, including the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in 2010.

Among her other high-profile horses were four-time winner Key Change, who landed the Yorkshire Oaks in 1996, and Winona, a classic heroine who landed the 1998 Irish Oaks.

Role models

The significance of their achievements is not lost on Scarlett, however: “I think I was very lucky to have two such strong women in racing on both sides of my family to look up to as role models. They both had great success in their own right and that gave me the inspiration to try and do a little bit myself.”

It’s clear that carrying on her family’s legacy is also important to her, without letting it overshadow her own story. “It’s lovely to carry on that family tradition, while also creating my own story in the sport.”

From race horse ownership to breeding, Scarlett has turned her hand to several areas of the industry, including pinhooking. Scarlett bought an Acclamation colt at the 2023 Goffs November Sale, before doubling her money a year later when the colt sold for €80,000 in Book 2 of the Orby Sale, also at Goffs.

“They’re all such different experiences,” she says. “With pinhooking I love going to the sales and picking out a young horse, watching them develop and seeing if my judgement was right throughout the process is exciting.

“The breeding side is completely different because you’re thinking so far ahead, looking at pedigrees, planning matings and hopefully watching something you’ve planned from the very beginning develop.”

As an owner, however, it’s the behind the scenes experiences she relishes most. “One of my favourite things is going to the gallops in the morning. I love watching the horses progress throughout the year and seeing how they develop. I find the whole process fascinating. The days out are amazing, but I love the whole behind the scenes side.

“You really feel like you get to know your horse, it’s about more than just the days out. You’re drumming up a relationship with your trainer and the whole process is very rewarding to be a part of. Spending time with the horses, and Johnny and Orla who are such a great team, is amazing.”

Listowel success

Scarlett’s most recent amazing day out came at last month’s Listowel Harvest Festival when Morehampton landed the Listowel Arms Hotel Handicap for trainer Johnny Murtagh and jockey Ben Coen, but this success isn’t what Scarlett had originally hoped for.

“My whole idea when I bought Morehampton as a foal was to pinhook him. We didn’t get the price we wanted when we went back to the sales, so you always need to have a plan B.” Her partnership with Johnny Murtagh is also significant, as he regularly rode in the purple spotted silks of Lady Clague.

“I’ve known Johnny for years, right back to when he was riding. He rode plenty of winners for Lady Clague, so now to have him training my horses is really special.”

As we discuss Morehampton’s win, Scarlett’s passion for the sport and love of her horses shines through, especially when she says: “Roaring them home, you feel so proud of them. Racing is such a rollercoaster, you have plenty of ups and downs, and days like we had in Listowel make it all worthwhile. They’re the days we live for and they remind you of why you love the sport, and that if you’re patient it will work out. There’s so much adrenaline in those highs and lows.

“It’s a lovely track and everyone down there is so passionate about it, that’s what makes it a great week. Everything looks amazing and the people are so nice, you get such a warm welcome, so it was lovely to have a winner.”

While the Listowel winner was a special one for Scarlett, there’s another race on her bucket list that she dreams of winning. “If there was one race I’d love to win, it would probably be the Irish Oaks. On the day I was born, Princess Pati won it for Meg in 1984 and I’ve always loved having that connection. If maybe one day I could have an Oaks filly of my own, that would be incredibly special.” For now, the Irish Oaks remains the dream, one that would bring her family story full circle, while allowing Scarlett to write her own name into the race’s history.