Factfile
Trainer: Margaret Mullins
Address: Canterbrook Stud, Doninga, Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny
Telephone: 095-9726014/087-6994991
Numbers: 15 for track
Jockeys: Danny Mullins, Adrian Heskin, Anthony Mullins
THE Mags Mullins-trained Ballychorus must be one of the unluckiest horses in training as the mare was a last fence faller (when very much in contention) in both the Paddy Power Chase and Troytown Chase respectively.
Thankfully the seven-year-old has been none the worse since and she is one of 15 horses that Mags has for the track.
“Between everything, we have around 45 horses around the place, but we pre-train a few and we’d have some young horses here as well. We try and keep the horses for the track to around 15. It’s an expensive business and they must earn their keep and we tend not to persevere with them if they can’t win a race,” she said.
“We sell on a few as well and I have to be doing that. It would be nice to keep them, but you tend to get some repeat business from people who have bought from you before and I have to keep this place going. There are bills to be paid and we have to run it as a business. We have sold the likes of Massini’s Maguire who developed into a real good horse for Philip Hobbs.
“I have some very good owners and clients and some of them are great friends as well. Danny rides them when he is free and Adrian (Heskin) rides Barry Connell’s horses. Danny is a great help as is my other son Anthony and I have wonderful staff and a lot of them have been here for a good while. I am lucky that way.”
Winning the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last year was her best day as a trainer and Mags added: “It was very exciting and I thought he’d be in the mix on the day. I remember going in to the parade ring beforehand and a friend of mine said that there were so many good horses in the race and you’d say to yourself, what am I doing here?
“But everything went to plan and Adrian gave the horse a great ride. Danny was a huge help with the horse as well. He actually sat on him that morning and he told me that he felt super and that he would run well. It was unfortunate that he rode the runner-up, but he was the first to congratulate Adrian after the race.
“To come back into the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham was an amazing feeling. To have a winner anywhere is great, but we are a small yard and it was brilliant for everyone connected with the horse and for Barry as well,” she added.
Mags has a number of young horses that might be seen on the track before the end of the season.
“They have done plenty and we have a lovely Scorpion horse and there are two lovely horses here as well by Flemensfirth. We’ll take our time with them, but they might start off in a bumper. There is a nice filly as well by Kris Kin that I am fond of.”
BALLYCHORUS
8yo b f (U12111FF)
King’s Theatre - Royal Rosy
Barry Connell
She is just a lovely, genuine mare. She was very unfortunate to come down at the last in the Troytown and the Paddy Power. She was going to be involved in both races – I am not saying that she’d have won, but she was very much in contention in both races. She is a great trier and she is tough as well - she has been fine since. There are a couple of options for her at Thurles and long-term Barry has mentioned the four mile race at Cheltenham. She has been on the go for a while, but she had time off between her races and looks great. The further she goes the better she appears to be. She is maturing all the time and she doesn’t need it very soft. As a young horse, she handled better ground.
BOWENSCOURT
6yo b f (5-3521421)
Westerner - Designer Lady
Kieran Leavy/Lorcan Cribbin/Pauline Twiss
She is another lovely filly and the lads that have her have knocked a great bit of sport out of her. I told the lads when they bought her that she’d win a bumper and she did that and then she went on and won her maiden hurdle. They had great fun with her during the summer, but she hurt herself so she had to stand in for a while. But she is looking good again now. I am not sure if we’ll get her covered and continue on with her, but she has done her job. She has a great attitude and she is an improving filly. She has yet to run a bad race, and we’ll decide at a later date what route she will go.
DANI THEATRE
5yo b f (31)
King’s Theatre - Dani California
P.J Magnier/Margaret Mullins
She will go to the sales at Fairyhouse. She picked up a slight little injury – it was nothing major, but she has done well for us winning a bumper on her second start.
DUNDRUM LAD
6yo b g (1207)
Westerner - Oscars Princess
J.P. Mc Manus
He won his point-to-point and he is a super jumper. I’d say that he just didn’t handle the ground at Leopardstown and I would hope that we will see a better horse on nicer ground. Down the road, he is a chaser.
KILDOON TRIX
7yo b g (-6)
Fruits Of Love - Rainbow Trix
Valerie Crean
He had two runs in point-to-points, but he ran a nice race in a bumper at Navan. We’ll just wait for better ground for him and we might give him another go in a bumper. He does jump well and I’d say he’ll be fine on better ground.
LAST ENCOUNTER
6yo b g (22-513322)
Beneficial - Last Campaign
Mary Mullins
He is an improving horse and I thought he ran a great race last Sunday when he chased home Willie Mullins’ horse in the Grade 1 at Naas. He is homebred and it is great for the mare that he was placed in a Grade 1. His owners are local to me and they were so excited on Sunday. We’ll see - we might look at Cheltenham for him.
He will probably have to run again beforehand to confirm the form, but he jumps really well and I can’t wait to send him over fences next season. He does stay well and he goes well in the heavy ground. He has done nothing but improve and he has done all that has been asked of him. He won his maiden hurdle on nice ground and once it’s not too hard, it won’t bother him.
MARTELLO TOWER
8yo b g (11/41/11F121-3)
Milan – Johnsalice
Barry Connell
He has done so well for us and I was delighted with his first run of the season at Leopardstown over Christmas. That run has brought him on a lot and he’ll go to Gowran for the Galmoy Hurdle. After that we’ll see and it won’t be easy taking on those older horses this year. I’d say we’ll know a good bit more about him at Gowran and Barry is great that way. In an ideal world, you’d like to go back to Cheltenham with him again this year. He would have needed the run at Christmas time and he has been in super form since then – I couldn’t be happier with him. He goes on all types of ground bar firm. I’d imagine that he will go over fences later on this year.
MUMBO BAY
8yo b g (10/612415-2)
Vinnie Roe – Toplot
Mary C. Walsh
He has had a little hold up, but he’ll be back again in the spring. He has done well for us and he is back in good order. He has won a bumper and his maiden hurdle, so I’d imagine that he will go back over fences.
He has only had the one run over fences and he was rated 125 over hurdles so he could develop into a nice novice over fences for us.
PEPPARPOT
7yo b g F (/010/8/2152-) NH (7/21/04)
Mountain High - Pickled Peppar
Margaret Mullins/A D Mullins
He is a grand horse in his own grade. He will mix it away when he comes back and as he jumps so well, I’d say he’ll go chasing later on. He pays his way and he is a great fun horse in the yard. He seems to win a race or two every year.
SHE’S OTTO
5yo b f
Milan - Miss Muppet
Margaret Mullins/P.J. Magnier
She is a nice filly and she might start off in a bumper. I like her and I’d like to think that she will be competitive in a bumper before we send her over hurdles.
SLIABH DONN
5yo b f (5654)
Mountain High - Jackie Browne
Kieran Leavy/Pauline Twiss/Lorcan Cribbin/Margaret Mullins
She is a nice mare and she ran a good race the last day when fourth in a bumper at Fairyhouse. Danny and Finny Maguire said that she might win a bumper, but I’d say that we’ll go on over hurdles with her now. Her owners will knock great fun out of her. She likes a cut in the ground and she jumps great. With a bit of luck, she will win her maiden hurdle and progress away over hurdles.
TSUNDOKU
5yo ch f F(044/30446-) NH (6)
Medicean – Toberanthawn
Aileen Lynam
Eddie Lynam sent her down to me and she had a nice first run over hurdles. She is a nice filly and she handles soft ground, but she might not want it real soft. She jumps well and I think she might be capable of winning a maiden hurdle.