The name Mullins has been synonymous with Irish racing for over 60 years. Nonagenarian Paddy Mullins holds the unique distinction of winning the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup with the same mare, Dawn Run. His son, William Patrick, had a tremendous year in the '08/'09 season. Only Aidan O'Brien on the flat won more prize money.

Horses trained at Closutton garnered in excess of €3,250,000 setting a record for a national hunt trainer in Ireland. The stable won 136 races in Ireland and what is most amazing is the number of bumper races won, a total of 38 in the one season. This means that Willie Mullins has some artillery to go to war with this year. His dominance looks likely to continue with potentially the most powerful stable of horses ever assembled by any national hunt trainer in Ireland.

Our most prestigious national hunt meeting is undoubtedly the Punches - town Festival and the Closutton yard had a phenomenal strike rate winning twelve races. The stable also enjoyed success at Cheltenham, where Cool - dine won the Grade 1 RSA Chase, Mikael d'Haguenet won the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices Hurdle and Quevega was successful in the Grade 2 David Nicholson Mares Hurdle.

Success at Closutton was not confined to just the trainer. His son, Patrick, broke the post war record for an amateur rider, previously held by Ted Walsh, by riding 49 winners.
A remarkable total for the 19 year old who had 8 successes in '07, 31 in '08 and the record 49 in '09 which gave him his second successive amateur title. It was inevitable that stable number one jockey Ruby Walsh annexed another jockey's title.

It is quite possible that Willie Mullins, Ruby Walsh and Patrick Mullins will retain their titles this season. One of the real flag-bearers last season was Hurricane Fly. He won his maiden hurdle at Punchestown on May 27th last year by 12 lengths and he showed that his excellent flat form in France could be replicated over hurdles. Less than three weeks later Willie Mullins decided to test the waters in France in a Grade 3 Hurdle at Auteuil, with Ruby Walsh in the saddle, they got the better of Grivette and Dean Gallagher by a length. The prize money in France is excellent, the winner receiving €58,500.

The Prix Alain du Breil, the French Champion Hurdle, in Auteuil on June 22nd brought Hurricane Fly and Grivette head to head again. On soft ground Grivette got revenge by two lengths. The Closutton trainer gave Hurricane Fly a rest but when he reappeared at Fairyhouse in Novem - ber in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, he showed his mettle when defeating Donnas Palm. His display at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival was more impressive. In the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle he cantered in by ten lengths from Go Native. That form was further endorsed when the Noel Meade trained runner up went on to win the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Due to a setback, he missed the Cheltenham Festival but he showed at Punchestown in April when winning the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle that he is well capable of taking on the best this season. He has been gelded and his trainer believes that he is stronger now and that the Champion Hurdle is his main objective.
Mikhael D'Haguenet is certainly an exciting prospect. He had a wonderful season over hurdles winning all six of the races he contested.

Willie Mullins returned to Closutton from Navan, a happy man, one dark November evening. He knew he had something special in Mikhael when he dismissed the challenge of Realt Dubh in a maiden hurdle. A few weeks later, back at Navan, young Paul Townend was back in the saddle when the Susanna Ricci owned gelding ran away from the highly rated Pando - rama. Next port of call was Naas for the Grade 2 Slaney Novices Hurdle. He dawdled in. Puchestown on February 1st saw him triumph over another of Noel Meade's horses, Donnas Palm. An exuberant Mullins declared, "This fellow could yet be a Gold Cup horse."
The trainer's confidence was confirmed at Cheltenham in March when Mikhael with Ruby Walsh on board defeated the highly-rated, Alan King trained Karabak in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices Hurdle. Mikhael finished the season in emphatic fashion when he was successful in the Grade 1 Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. His stable companion and Cheltenham bumper winner Cousin Vinny filled the runner-up spot. Hopes are high that he will accomplish even more over fences.
One of the big questions to be answered this season is Cooldine's ability to improve a stone and take on the likes of Kauto Star and Denman. Like Mikhael he too has shown how tough and resilient he is. Although he won a point-to-point in Templemore and a bumper at Fairyhouse as a five-year-old, he really showed his mettle as a six-yearold when winning five races in succession over hurdles.