Tag Archive for: Tony Mullins

Mullins favouring Mares’ assignment for Princess Zoe

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Tony Mullins believes Princess Zoe has a “very serious winning chance” in whatever Cheltenham Festival race she runs in, with the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle her likely landing spot.

The popular grey made a winning hurdling debut, dead-heating in the a mares’ maiden at Leopardstown, having previously been a regular top-class performer on the Flat, where she secured a Group One triumph in the 2020 Prix du Cadran, as well as landing the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

While she was set to be retired for broodmare duties in 2023, she failed to meet her reserve price at the Tattersalls December Sale, prompting connections into a rethink.

Though she made a winning start over hurdles, sharing the spoils with Ladybank in the extended two-and-a-half-mile contest, bookmakers were largely unimpressed, offering a general 16-1 for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and 20-1 for the Albert Bartlett.

Mullins is eyeing the former, however, and said: “We were delighted with the run and relieved to get the dead-heat.

“Her preparation didn’t go perfect, in so far as we had a frozen week and a washed-out week the first two weeks of January.

Connections with Princess Zoe after her hurdling bow
Connections with Princess Zoe after her hurdling bow (PA)

“I thought it was a fantastic performance. Obviously, the betting suggests that I’m the only one impressed. I was surprised that she didn’t shorten, but maybe they’re right.

“I couldn’t be happier. Our preparation went right, our race went right and if everything goes right from here on in, I still believe that she is there with a very serious winning chance.”

The eight-year-old has the option of the three-mile Grade One Albert Bartlett and the Grade Two Mares’ Novices’ race, also known as the Dawn Run, which is run over a distance of two miles and one furlong.

Mullins is now swaying towards Princess Zoe taking on her own sex.

He added: “I thought the Albert Bartlett looked quite weak a month and a half ago, but there are a couple of horses there, Willie’s (Mullins) horse that won at Thurles (Embassy Gardens) and a couple of other ones I saw won in England. It is now a stronger Albert Bartlett.

“So while we are not writing anything in stone, we are now training her with the mares’ novice in mind.

Princess Zoe has always been the apple of Tony Mullins' eye
Princess Zoe has always been the apple of Tony Mullins’ eye (PA)

“If a couple of hotpots come out of the Albert Bartlett, we’ll see.

“We have the one beautiful thing that very few have – we know we have the class to win over two (miles), we know we have the stamina to win over three. We don’t care if it is good to firm – we have won Group races on the Flat with that – we don’t care if it’s heavy, we’ve won Group Ones on that. So, nothing matters to us now, only our preparation.

“I would say we are confident that everything has gone right. We’d love to have had two or three runs over hurdles, but considering everything, we are confident.

“If her preparation goes right, I will be interested to see what could beat her.

“She has travelled a lot and she has never had a problem with travelling. We have most things covered now and if everything goes right for the next three weeks, we’ll be there quite happy to take on whatever arrives.”

Princess Zoe could also return to the Flat in the summer, with the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot again on the agenda.

Kyprios (right) is the best stayer Mullins has seen
Kyprios (right) is the best stayer Mullins has seen (Adam Davy/PA)

She was runner-up to Subjectivist in 2021 and beaten six and three-quarter lengths by Kyprios in the two-and-a-half mile feature last June.

Mullins fears the Aidan O’Brien-trained winner will be near impossible to beat, yet is not going to duck the challenge.

“Paddy (Kehoe, part-owner) has said to me from the very start that racing is his priority and breeding is a lovely little added extra, but is the least thing on his mind,” said Mullins.

“As long as we feel she is safe and sound to stay racing, he wants to stay racing. He is a racing man and and great racing fan.

“Kyprios blew us out of the water altogether last year. I think he is an absolute phenomenon. I would put him above Yeats, Stradivarius and all of them. I think he’s the best stayer I’ve ever seen.

“He is so superior from anything we know of at the moment. He was better at Longchamp than he was at the start of the season, so he is only getting better.

“We are going to enjoy our racing and if he’s there it is going to be a pity – but we’ll give him a go!”

Princess Zoe has to settle for dead-heat on jumping debut

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Princess Zoe had to settle for a share of the honours on her jumping debut at Punchestown, after a dead-heat finish to the Bar One Racing “Bet 10 Get 50 Sign Up Offer” Mares Maiden Hurdle.

The Tony Mullins-trained grey has been a fantastic servant over the past four years, with a Group One triumph in the 2020 Prix du Cadran the highlight of a Flat career that also saw he win the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and finish second to Subjectivist in the Gold Cup.

She looked set to be retired for broodmare duties in 2023, but failed to meet her reserve price at the Tattersalls December Sale, prompting connections into a rethink.

Following a pleasing schooling session last week, Princess Zoe was given the green light to give hurdling a go with a view to a potential appearance at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Despite her exploits on the level, she was not even favourite for her first start in the National Hunt sphere, with the Willie Mullins-trained Pink In The Park preferred at a shade of odds-on at 10-11.

The top two in the market were the first two in the race for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey, with 5-4 chance Princess Zoe asserting into a clear lead on the second circuit under Danny Mullins.

Having jumped adequately in the main, the eight-year-old looked to have victory sewn up after travelling strongly into the straight, but she flattened the final flight, giving Henry de Bromhead’s Ladybank – carrying the Honeysuckle colours of Kenny Alexander under Rachael Blackmore – a real shot on the run-in.

There was nothing to choose between the pair on the approach to the winning line and they flashed by as one. After a tense wait, the judge confirmed he could not split them and declared a dead-heat.

Paddy Power make Princess Zoe a 16-1 chance for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, which appears likely to be her target over the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at Punchestown
Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at Punchestown (Gary Carson/PA)

And Mullins, who admitted to being nervous about whether his stable star would take to the jumping game, is confident there is more to come from her ahead of the Festival.

He said: “We’re very happy with her. Danny said he thought she was a little guessy on her own at one or two of them.

“At the moment we’re thinking of the mares’ novice at Cheltenham but it’s not definite. It looks the logical way as opposed to the Albert Bartlett.

“I thought she was a little gassy having not run for a while. That might have emptied her a little.

“We had all her work done at home but she needs that run to bring her to herself. Danny said when she was gassy early on he’d let her go to the front and then she just had nothing with her. I think it was a very good performance to jump out and make all.”

He added: “I’m very happy with her. She’s taken to jumping and she’s brave, usually they might be ducking at hurdles but she didn’t do any of that.

“I don’t think she’ll run again before Cheltenham.”

Looking beyond the Festival, Mullins is not ruling out the possibility of Princess Zoe reverting to the Flat for some of the major staying prizes later in the year.

Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at the 2020 Galway Festival
Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at the 2020 Galway Festival (PA)

He added: “Paddy (Kehoe, part-owner) has always said to me that as long as she’s able to run breeding is only secondary to him. Who am I to complain?

“It’s great for the likes of me because we’ll never have the likes of her again. She’s just a great mare.

“Something did happen last year (on the Flat), we never noticed in her work but maybe Kyprios is such a powerhouse that it emptied her.

“Every time we thought we were going to get back and show him but we never did. I’d say Kyprios is one of the all-time greats, that’s what I think. We might have another go at him.”

Princess Zoe closing in on hurdling debut

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Group One-winning mare Princess Zoe could make her hurdling debut as soon as next week following a satisfactory schooling session on Tuesday.

Trained by Tony Mullins, the popular eight-year-old proved to be a consistent and versatile performer on the Flat, with highlights including a top-level success in the 2020 running of the Prix du Cadran, a Sagaro Stakes victory last year and a silver medal behind Subjectivist in the 2021 Ascot Gold Cup.

Retired from duties on the level following a fourth placed finish in the Prix Royal-Oak in October, Princess Zoe was sent to the Tattersalls Mares Sale in December – but having failed to raise what connections were expecting, Patrick Kehoe and Philomena Crampton’s high-class mare returned to Mullins, with a possible switch to the jumping game mooted.

That tentative plan is now set to become a reality, with Punchestown’s Join The Punchestown Members Club Mares Maiden Hurdle over two and a half miles on January 30 a possible starting point as connections bid to discover whether a trip to the Cheltenham Festival is a realistic target.

Princess Zoe ridden by Joey Sheridan (right) winning the Longines Sagaro Stakes on Royal Ascot Trials Day
Princess Zoe ridden by Joey Sheridan (right) winning the Longines Sagaro Stakes on Royal Ascot Trials Day (John Walton/PA)

“She schooled well and we were quite happy with her,” said Mullins.

“We will see how she is and we’re considering Punchestown next Monday and we’re also looking at options at Fairyhouse (February 8) and Thurles (February 9) as well. But she schooled adequately and we’re quite happy that she is well able to jump.

“She will be out sooner rather than later because the only reason she is going hurdling is with a view to Cheltenham.”

He went on: “I think we’re leaning towards going there (Cheltenham) with just the one run.

2020 Galway Summer Festival – Day Six – Galway Racecourse
Trainer Tony Mullins after Princess Zoe wins the Galway Shopping Centre Handicap during day six of the 2020 Galway Festival (PA)

“The Johnstown Hurdle (at Naas) is an option on February 26, but it’s quite tight for Cheltenham. It’s different for those in England, but we have to travel as well, so having a run within 21 days of her prime target is not ideal I don’t think.”

Although handed an entry for the Albert Bartlett over three miles at the Festival, Mullins believes Princess Zoe’s class will see her prove versatile over obstacles and he would have no hesitation running over an extended two miles in the Mares’ Novices Hurdle – a race for which she is a best price of 25-1 with Unibet.

He added: “There’s nothing dyed in the wool, but having won a Prix du Cadran over two-and-a-half the three miles of the Albert Bartlett wouldn’t be a worry – and having won a Listed race over a mile and a half, I’m not worried about the Mares’ Novice either.

“Early on the Albert Bartlett looked the weaker of the three novice hurdles and I just wasn’t against it, so we gave her an entry. We’re keeping our options open.”

Following her ultra-successful Flat career, Princess Zoe is finally getting the chance to do what she was originally bought for by her National Hunt loving owners – despite some trepidation from the trainer.

“The owners are staunch National Hunt fans and I’ve gone along with it, but I’m quite worried about a Group One winner jumping hurdles,” said Mullins.

“I’m not against it but it wasn’t my call, I wouldn’t do it myself.

“That’s what she was originally bought for (jumping), but she’s a Group One, Group Three and Listed winner on the Flat. The owners would like to go jumping if there was a chance she would make Cheltenham, so we will give it a go.”

Princess Zoe is Galway star again

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Princess Zoe continued her remarkable rise up the ranks with a decisive fourth successive victory, on her first attempt at Listed company in the Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes at Galway.

Tony Mullins’ hugely-improved mare was returning, after a five-week break, to the scene of her two Festival handicap victories in the space of six days.

The five-year-old took the rise in class entirely in her stride, overcoming a wide berth throughout to hit the front two furlongs out before stretching clear and maintaining her advantage to the line.

Princess Zoe again appeared to relish the testing conditions – and even through the poor visibility on a wet evening, the grey could be seen travelling ominously well in mid-division under Joey Sheridan behind pace-setting Ennistymon.

Once she was asked to quicken, the 2-1 favourite did so emphatically to win by a length and three-quarters from the staying-on Barrington Court – with this year’s Epsom Oaks runner-up Ennistymon having to settle for third, another half-length further back.

Princess Zoe had already risen 37lb in the ratings – from her opening mark of 64 when she joined Mullins from Stefan Richter in Germany at the start of this summer – and after this latest victory, her Gowran trainer confirmed ever higher-profile plans beckon.

“It’s a great relief to have that over, particularly to see her do it on heavy ground,” said Mullins.

“We would have had a sporadic good horse (in the past), but injury intervened with so many of them.

“This one has delivered every time – and it shows, though few and far between, that a small stable can compete at this level.”

As for the future, in the short term, the grand stages of Newmarket and ParisLongchamp are in the equation – with Cheltenham, and a switch to jumping to prepare for next year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, then on her owners’ minds.

Mullins added: “She’s owned by a great old friend in Paddy (Kehoe), with his sister Philomena (Crampton), and they are purely racing people – so other considerations don’t come into it.

“Cheltenham is still to the forefront of their minds, but in the shorter term we’ll have to have discussions as regards the Cesarewitch and the (Prix du) Cadran.

“Joey couldn’t use his allowance here, but his claim would negate a penalty in the Cesarewitch.”

Princess Zoe returns to Galway to test Listed potential

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Dual Galway Festival winner Princess Zoe is set to move up to Listed level on her return to Ballybrit for the Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes.

Since finishing second on her Irish debut for Tony Mullins at Navan in June, the German recruit has clocked a hat-trick of wins – with a facile success at the Curragh supplemented by a pair of lucrative premier handicap wins in the space of six days at Galway.

The five-year-old daughter of Jukebox Jury goes in search of some valuable black type in Tuesday’s mile-and-a-half feature.

“She’s gone from a rating of 64 up to 101 – now she has to prove it in Listed company,” Mullins said, in a video posted on his Twitter account.

“If it goes smoothly we’ll probably consider the Prix du Cadran (at ParisLongchamp next month).

“The steps she has taken are huge, but now we’re in the open league.

“They say Galway is quite an idiosyncratic track – and when they handle it, it’s very inviting to chance going back again.”

Princess Zoe is due to face 15 rivals, with several powerhouse yards represented.

Aidan O’Brien saddles a trio of runners in Ennistymon, Elizabethofaragon and Holy Roman Empress – as does his son Joseph, with Mighty Blue, Snapraeceps and Lady Dahlia all declared.

Joseph’s younger brother Donnacha O’Brien also has a representative in Oh So True – while the Ger Lyons-trained Yaxeni, Dermot Weld’s Katiba and Jessica Harrington’s pair of Barrington Court and Royal Free Hotel also feature.