What sets ‘magician' Willie Mullins apart from the rest is his innate ability to never stand still
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'I'm glad I'm not a trainer because I'd hate him. I like him as a person but I'm glad I'm not a trainer because I'd detest him!'
Those are the honest words of legendary jockey AP McCoy on Willie Mullins' genius and how the all-conquering Closutton maestro continues to break every record imaginable on the National Hunt scene.
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Royal Ascot jockey Sean Levey has opened up about Aidan O'Brien, admitting that the Irish trainer is just as kind and diligent as one would expect behind the scenes. Having taken the National Hunt game by the horns, O'Brien was asked by Fermoy-born business magnate John Magnier to train at Ballydoyle, and the rest is history. The 55-year-old has won essentially all there is to win on the flat and has established himself as an impervious all-time great. O'Brien's record at the Royal meeting is as jaw-dropping as expected, and a battalion is sent over to Berkshire year-on-year in a bid for Group 1 glory. Aboard the majority of these charges is Ballydoyle's retained jockey Ryan Moore; however, such a large operation often sees rides crop up. Levey, who moved to Ireland as a teenager, began riding out for O'Brien in his youth. He was an apprentice under the trainer before heading to England and taking up a role at Richard Hannon's stable. The 37-year-old has produced winners for O'Brien on many occasions, though, most notably guiding Galileo colt Jan Brueghel to the St. Leger in 2024. Therefore, Levey is well-acquainted with the icon and has revealed that his industrious work is reflected in his honourable character. "I was an apprentice there [at Ballydoyle] for a few years before I moved here [to England]. It had a massive impact," said Ladbrokes ambassador Levey. "Because I obviously served an apprenticeship under him for a good few years. So it was… My initial standpoint was under Aidan, so you'd imagine he had a massive influence on a lot of the things I do now. He's a very, very kind man. The kind of man who does right by everyone. "He's also very meticulous. I think his love for the sport kind of shines through in how he presented himself and how he's navigated training a multitude of very, very good horses. I mean, his record kind of speaks for itself, and there's not much I can really add to his CV!" Over the course of a glittering career, it is not only the Ballydoyle dynasty that Levey has had the privilege of riding for, but the royal blue of the Maktoum family's stable, Godolphin. The globe-trotting stable was founded in 1992, and enlists the help of a handful of British trainers, namely Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor, to front their operation out of HQ. Levey has ridden in the iconic silks on occasion and believes both Ballydoyle and Godolphin's experience and rigorousness have allowed them to remain at the top for so long. "I think I've only ever picked up rides for Saeed [bin Suroor]. Been placed in a couple of listed races, and I've won a couple of listed races. I also rode a listed winner for Richard [Hannon] with a two-year-old that he had trained for Godolphin, so I've had the privilege of wearing the blue colours, and having winners in them," added Levey. "They're a firm that have their team. I've just been lucky on occasion that the opportunity sort of presented itself, and I was put forward. They're a very good team with very good soldiers to boot. Their record kind of speaks for itself. "Godolphin are... I think they've both been in the game a long, long time. They've been breeding very good horses for a long time, and they don't leave any stone unturned, the same as Aidan doesn't leave any stone unturned, and as a result, they're extremely competitive at the top level."
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17 hours ago
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- wins the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot for Mullins and Moore
Willie Mullins and his wife Jackie, having earlier joined the Royal procession, celebrated a remarkable success at Royal Ascot as Ethical Diamond, with Ryan Moore aboard, clinched victory in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. The horse, a favourite at 3-1, bounced back from a fourth-place finish in last year's race and a similar result in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham to win by two lengths ahead of Mutaawid and Naqeeb. Mullins said: "Last year he just ran too free and things didn't work out for him, but he still ran a cracker to be fourth so I thought if we get things right this year he had a real live chance and it worked out that way. "We will give him a little break, bring him home; we will look at York next, a race like the Ebor. We'd love to (go to Australia) if we could get him qualified, that was my first thought coming in. "I think he would handle a trip to Australia, he wears the hood because he's a bit keen, but that'd be no problem. "There's a big one over hurdles in him too, but for the moment we'll concentrate on Flat racing." He added: "These are just fantastic days, Jackie was just saying to me coming in here today 'just enjoy it', and then to have a winner on top that is the cherry on the cake. "Tuesday was a little disappointing, but we live to fight another day and hopefully Reaching High (unlucky in the Ascot Stakes for the King and Queen) will be back for the same race next year. Ryan had nowhere to go, he was just locked in on the inside and that was that."
RTÉ News
18 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Royal Ascot wrap: Ethical Diamond sparkles for Willie Mullins in Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
Ethical Diamond made it a momentous day at Royal Ascot for Willie Mullins when powering down the outside to win the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes in the hands of Ryan Moore. Mullins and his wife Jackie had taken part in the royal procession before racing and his dual-purpose performer had no trouble in justifying 3-1 favouritism. Fourth last year, he was 2lb higher having also finished fourth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham - but the result barely looked in doubt and he came home two lengths clear of Mutaawid and Naqeeb Harry Eustace's fine Royal Ascot continued when Time For Sandals blazed her way to Commonwealth Cup glory. The Newmarket handler struck for the very first time in Group One company with Docklands in the Queen Anne Stakes and wasted little time doubling that tally with a filly who was registering just her second career victory - and first since her debut last year. Sent off at 25-1 in the hands of Richard Kingscote, she cruised to the front on the far side with a furlong to run and showed great resolve to edge out Arizona Blaze by a neck with the supplemented Rayevka half a length further back in third. Venetian Sun backed up Karl Burke's confidence in her ability with a dominant display in the Albany Stakes. Ante-post favourite in the build up to the race following an impressive winning debut at Carlisle, she was sent off at 7-1 in the end with Burke having drawn a blank with several other fancied juvenile runners this week. She also had to overcome what looked a disadvantageous draw in stall one under Clifford Lee, yet despite having no cover, she was in front with a furlong to run and pulled a length and a half clear of Awaken and Balantina.
