free web stats Willie Mullins praised for ‘beautiful’ gesture to young fans ‘you just can’t buy’ during Dublin Racing Festival – open Dazem

Willie Mullins praised for ‘beautiful’ gesture to young fans ‘you just can’t buy’ during Dublin Racing Festival


WILLIE MULLINS went out of his way to meet his “junior fan club” at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The legendary Irish trainer had another successful weekend at Leopardstown, capped off by Galopin Des Champs winning another Irish Gold Cup.

Trainer Willie Mullins at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
Willie Mullins met his junior fan club at Leopardstown
Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

His good mood was bolstered when he met a group of young fans that was christened his “junior fan club” by Horse Racing Ireland.

He posted for a photograph with them while also signing autographs.

All of the young boys wore dashing flat caps, with Mullins remarking to one that he “liked” his.

A video of the interaction was shared to social media, with one fan calling it: “Beautiful”

Nazeem said: “British Racing needs to take a leaf out of the Willie Mullins book of, Start them young!

“The Top NH trainer on the planet, clearly has sights firmly on the future of this great sport.

“A day to remember for those youngsters”

A third fan commented: “That’s class you can’t buy it” while a fourth commented: “The wee flat caps….l can’t”

And a fifth posted: “Respect to Willie Mullins. This is what Racing should be about”

The 68-year-old has given an update on Lossiemouth and her plans for Cheltenham Festival after her heartbreaking fall against State Man.


The two stablemates were contesting a right humdinger in the Irish Champion Hurdle before Rich Ricci’s mare came down on the back straight.

Her capsizing almost brought down State Man too, but Paul Townend swerved him out of trouble just in time and strolled to victory.

Lossiemouth’s jockey Danny Mullins was seen clutching his arm immediately after the devastating fall.

Fortunately he was deemed well enough to ride again in the next race while Lossiemouth was up on her feet and seemingly well too.

Mullins has insisted they have been training Lossiemouth for the Champion Hurdle for the past two years.

She breezed to victory in last year’s Mares’ Hurdle after winning the Triumph the previous year.

Armed with her 7lb mares’ allowance, she was expected to serve it up to odds-on fav Constitution Hill in their showdown next month.

And Mullins said that remains the plan, even though Nicky Henderson‘s stable star got the better of her in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

He told Racing TV: “Unless she’s injured, nothing changes.

“Unless Rich thinks differently we’re happy to go for the Champion Hurdle.”

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