Our man at the course Cornelius Lysaght reflects on Tornado Flyer's win in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase - for a remarkable family dynasty.
Danny Mullins is said to be the only member of Irish racing’s Mullins dynasty that doesn’t drink alcohol, but that won’t affect his celebrations after pulling off the biggest shock in the 84-year history of British jump racing’s mid-season championship, the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.
Still wearing the muddied green and white silks in which he’d won on Tornado Flyer at odds of 28/1 and clutching the trophy – “it’s heavy”, he mock-groaned – the 29-year-old was determined to savour the highpoint of a stellar year, his sixth win at Grade One-race level, in a string of post-race interviews.
Looking towards the rain-soaked track where Tornado Flyer, trained by his uncle Willie for British owners Martin Dodd, John Turner and Ron Whatford, proved a comfortable winner of that rarest of things, a major domestic prize that had been impervious to the Irish onslaught for well over a decade, the rider said: “There is nothing in a bottle that can beat the feeling you get going crossing the finishing line when it all comes off like it did here. I thoroughly enjoyed it and put in all the hard work for days like this.
“I came here not confident that I’d win but confident that I’d run a big race – even though he hadn’t won for two years, when the proper Tornado turns up he’s got a very big engine – and to see that performance against such a competitive field was fantastic.
“We can enjoy this and have a little dream and see what Willie wants to do next.
“2021 has been fantastic for me – I’ve had a lot of Grade One winners, a winner at Cheltenham and then the King George capping it off. These big days are what it’s all about for riders, trainers, owners and you can’t do that without the horse underneath you.”
When it comes to Ireland’s extended Mullins racing family, clearly we hear most about the so often heralded exploits of multiple champion jumps trainer Willie.
Previously, during the era of 1980s jumping icon Dawn Run, catching the headlines was down to the mare’s trainer Paddy Mullins – father of Willie, of his trainer-brothers Tony and Tom and of George, whose transport business keeps so many shows on the road.
And the next generation has long shown its intent on keeping up with the other Mullinses: top amateur jockey Patrick (son of Willie and his assistant); shrewdie jockey-turned-trainer Emmet (progeny of George), retired Grand National winning rider David (sired by Tom) and jockey Danny whose father is Tony.
As well as reliving the race, during which he had been forced to sit tight when his mount made a juddering error at the first of the 18 obstacles, Mullins gave an intriguing insight into life as an ‘insider’ in Team Mullins.
“You have to earn your crust – if you don’t perform, you don’t get the chances,” he said.
“Even if we’re out for a meal or something, there will be some fairly competitive and sharp but friendly banter between us – you can imagine David, Emmet, Patrick and me, all of us digging each other about anything, but hopefully that keeps us all on our A-game.
“To have so many good heads makes it a great family to be a part of, and you thoroughly enjoy it all, and looking back to what Grandad started off and how he put us all in a position that if we were willing to work hard enough, then anything is possible.”
In a sport that lives and dies by them, it is an extraordinary gilt-edged pedigree which keeps on throwing winners with, added the winning jockey smiling, “plenty more Mullinses to come.”
Can’t wait.
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