January
January may have started somewhat slowly, but it erupted into life at Naas on the second Sunday of the month, with the Grade 2 Slaney Novice Hurdle being won in great style by the unbeaten Monksland. Trained by Noel Meade, the five-year-old travelled smoothly and quickened up in taking fashion from before the final flight to record an easy 4½ lengths victory under Paul Carberry.
A week later, the Grade 3 Visit Punchestown.com Juvenile Hurdle was the main event at Punchestown and it produced a promising winner in the shape of the Willie Mullins-trained Ut De Sivola. Sent off the heavily-backed 1/4 favourite, the son of Robin Des Champs looked to have a fight on his hands approaching the final flight, but his main rival Hisaabaat made a mess of that obstacle, allowing the winner to come home 3¼ lengths to the good under Ruby Walsh.
The highlight of the entire racing season at Thurles is the Grade 2 Matty Ryan Memorial Kinloch Brae Chase and this year’s renewal produced a game winner in the shape of the Willie Mullins-trained Apt Approach. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the nine-year-old had to recover from a mistake at the third-last fence, but he did so generously and eventually had 4¼ lengths to spare over Follow The Plan.
Goffs Thyestes Chase day at Gowran Park was yet another card that was all about the Champion Trainer, with Willie Mullins saddling the winners of the two most valuable races on the card. The pick of those wins came in the feature race, with the David Casey-trained On His Own taking up the running with seven fences to jump and being in control a long way out, eventually coming home 13 lengths in front. Mullins’ other win came in the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle, with the Ruby Walsh-ridden Zaidpour getting the better of a tactical battle with Voler La Vedette, beating off the strong challenge of that rival by a length.
The month was closed out by the new January Jumps Weekend at Leopardstown and the first day of the meeting proved to be a big one for the Walsh family, with them completing a notable double that included the valuable Leopardstown Handicap Chase with Seabass. Trained by Ted Walsh and ridden by his daughter Katie, the progressive nine-year-old made all the running and overcame a close encounter with a loose horse prior to forging away to record a 7½ lengths success. Ted went on to complete a memorable double just 30 minutes later courtesy of the win of the Mark Walsh-ridden Colbert Station in the Ryan’s Event Cleaners Beginners Chase. The main event on the day was the Boylesports.com Hurdle and it produced a thrilling finish with the Jessie Harrington-trained Citizenship being delivered with an extremely well-timed challenge by Robbie Power to claim the spoils by 1¼ lengths.
All eyes were on the returning Champion Hurdler Hurricane Fly in the featured Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle on the second day of the January Jumps Weekend at Leopardstown and Willie Mullins’ stable star exceeded all expectations, producing a stunning winning performance. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the eight-year-old travelled with ease and sprinted away from his opposition in the straight to record an easy 6½ lengths success, consolidating his position at the top of the two-mile hurdle ranks. Mullins and Walsh also took the spoils in the Grade 2 Synergy Security Solutions Novice Hurdle, teaming up with the highly-promising Boston Bob to take the spoils by an impressive 2¼ lengths. The other Grade 1 on the card was the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase and it produced an impressive winner in the shape of the Peter Casey-trained Flemenstar, with Andrew Lynch’s mount powering away to record a 19 lengths success.
February
Another month, another Willie Mullins record. February was kicked off by the Champion Trainer securing the fastest-ever 100 winners in an Irish National Hunt season by saddling Soll to win the N.I. Hotels Federation Beginners Chase at Down Royal.
The first big race of the month saw the Henry De Bromhead-trained Sizing Europe underline his status as Ireland’s leading two-mile chaser with an imperious display in the featured Grade 2 Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown. What was billed as a match race between him and his arch rival Big Zeb turned into a rout from the penultimate fence, with Andrew Lynch’s mount drawing clear to record an impressive 15 lengths success.
After a quiet couple of days by his exceptionally high standards, Willie Mullins erupted back to top form when it mattered at Leopardstown the following Sunday, completing a treble that included the featured Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup with Quel Esprit. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the eight-year-old was in control from some way out and eventually had two lengths to spare over Roberto Goldback at the line. There were three other Grade 1 contests on the card with the first of them, the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, being won by the Dermot Weld-trained Hisaabaat, with the son of Dubawi recording a cosy 1½ length success under Andrew Lynch. There was a major shock in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle, with the Tony Martin-trained Benefficient defying his 50/1 tag to run out the authoritative 1¼ lengths winner under Bryan Cooper. The final Grade 1 on the card was the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase and it was the Philip Fenton-trained Last Instalment that ran out the impressive 1½ lengths winner under Davy Russell.
The following weekend, the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase was the feature race at Gowran Park and it saw a powerful winning performance from the Robbie Hennessy-trained Rubi Light. Andrew Lynch gave the seven-year-old a typically positive ride, stretching the field from the fifth-last fence and soon being in no danger, eventually prevailing by 16 lengths.
Willie Mullins once again grabbed the headlines at Navan the next day, saddling a 1-2 in the featured Grade 2 Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle, though not in the order the market expected, with the Paul Townend-ridden Mourad readily seeing off Mikael D’Haguenet by 6½ lengths. There were even more surprising results in the other two Grade 2 contests on the card, with the Noel Meade-trained Donnas Palm swooping to land the Flyingbolt Novice Chase under Davy Condon and the 50/1 outsider Lion Na Bearnai winning the Irish Form Book Ten Up Novice Chase for Tom Gibney and Andrew Thornton.
It proved to be a big week for Irish-trained horses abroad, with Dave Marnane sending out Nocturnal Affair to win the valuable Al Naboodah Construction Group at Meydan and Maurice Phelan saddling Portrait King to win the featured Betfred Eider at Newcastle.
Back on the domestic scene, the Willie Mullins-trained Prince De Beauchene showcased his Aintree Grand National credentials by winning the featured Grade 2 At The Races Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. Ridden by Paul Townend, the nine-year-old powered clear to run out the impressive six lengths victor.
The month was closed by Ruby Walsh stealing the show at Naas, riding the winner of two of the three Grade 2 contests on the card. Walsh opened his account in the paddypower.com Novice Hurdle, riding the Willie Mullins-trained Felix Yonger to an authoritative three lengths success. However, the highlight of Ruby’s brace was unquestionably his win on his father Ted’s progressive chaser Seabass in the paddypower.com Chase, with the abundant stamina of the winner helping him get the better of Zaarito by a length.
March
The quality of Irish-trained sprinters is often maligned, but Irish eyes were smiling at Meydan in Dubai at the beginning of the month, with Irish-trained sprinters completing a 1-2-3 in the valuable Meydan Sprint. In what was a thrilling finish, the Mick Halford-trained Invincible Ash edged out the Eddie Lynam-trained Sole Power by a short-head, with the Dave Marnane-trained Nocturnal Affair just a ½-length away in third.
Given the record-breaking haul of 13 Irish-trained winners at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011, hopes were high that 2012 would be another lucrative meeting for the Irish, but the results went a long way to showing just how remarkable the Irish performance in 2011 had been.
The opening day of the festivities was widely expected to be a lucrative one for the Irish, but as it turned out, it was the Willie Mullins-trained Quevega that had to save the day after a sequence of high-profile disappointments from her compatriots. Bidding to win the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle for a remarkable fourth year in succession, the eight-year-old quickened up impressively to draw clear on the run-in and record an easy four lengths success under Ruby Walsh.
Willie Mullins again came to the rescue by providing the sole Irish winners on both the second and third days of the meeting, with Champagne Fever recording a game success in the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper under Patrick Mullins and Sir Des Champs running out the impressive winner of the Jewson Novices’ Chase under Davy Russell.
The final day of the Cheltenham Festival was a better one for the Irish, with two Irish-trained horses coming out on top. The Tom Mullins-trained Alderwood got the ball rolling in the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle, finding plenty for Tony McCoy and grinding out a ¾-length success in the colours of JP McManus. Ireland’s second winner came courtesy of a notable family success in the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup, with the Rodger Sweeney-trained Salsify gamely seeing off Chapoturgeon by a length under the trainer’s son Colman. In terms of Festival totals, Irish jockeys won 22 of the 27 races and Irish-bred horses won 12 races including six of the Grade 1 contests.
Wayne Lordan was without question the star performer on the opening day of the Flat season at the Curragh at the backend of the month, completing a treble that included the featured Group 3 Lodge Park Stud EBF Park Express Stakes on the David Wachman-trained Chrysanthemum. Wearing blinkers for the first time, the daughter of Danehill Dancer hit the front over a furlong out and held off the challenge of Twirl by 1½ lengths. The pick of the remainder of the action was the www.thetote.com Irish Lincolnshire and it saw the John Oxx-trained Sharestan land a notable gamble under Johnny Murtagh.
There was sad new in the closing days of the month as it was revealed that Montjeu, the sire of three Epsom Derby winners, had died at the age of 16 after a short illness. Winner of six Group 1 races on the track, the stallion developed into one of the world's leading sires for Coolmore, producing numerous top-class runners.
The month was brought to a close by the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan and Aidan O’Brien got Ireland on the score sheet by saddling Daddy Long Legs to win the Group 2 UAE Derby. Ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, the son of Scat Daddy stretched out impressively in the straight to prevail by 1¼ lengths. The pick of Ballydoyle’s other runners was St Nicholas Abbey in the Dubai Sheema Classic, with Joseph O’Brien’s mount failing by just a neck to reel in Cirrus Des Aigles.
April
The Fairyhouse Easter Festival opened the month with a bang, with the Peter Casey-trained Flemenstar producing a show-stopping performance in the featured Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup. The immensely-talented seven-year-old was given a positive ride by Andrew Lynch and sealed the win with an electric leap at the penultimate fence, eventually coming home 11 lengths to the good. The highlight of the entire Festival was unquestionably the fairytale conclusion to the Ladbrokes.com Irish Grand National, with Lion Na Beanai running out the hugely-popular winner. One of just five horses trained by Tom Gibney, the 10-year-old has improved in leaps and bounds in recent months and he exhibited an admirably game attitude to grind out a 4½ lengths success under Andrew Thornton.
Over at the Aintree Grand National meeting, the Oliver McKiernan-trained Follow The Plan struck for Ireland by springing a 50/1 surprise in the Grade 1 Betfred Bowl. The gelding has made a habit of springing surprised over the years and he was good value for his three lengths success. The featured Aintree Grand National proved to be one of the most dramatic renewals in the history of the great race, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Nepture Collonges getting up in the very last stride to prevail by a nose under a power-packed Daryl Jacob ride. For a long way, it looked like Katie Walsh would become the first ever female to ride the winner of the race, with her father’s Seabass giving her an excellent spin and only giving best on the run-in to finish third.
The Festival road show rolled into Punchestown next and Ireland’s top two-mile chaser Sizing Europe took centre stage on the opening day of the festivities by winning the featured Grade 1 Boylesports.com Champion Chase. Trained by Henry De Bromhead and ridden by Andrew Lynch, the 10-year-old had to be very brave on the unsuitably testing ground to see off the persistent challenge of Realt Dubh by 2¼ lengths.
Biblical rain threatened to lead to the abandonment of the second day of the Punchestown Festival, but a massive effort from all involved ensured that racing went ahead, albeit a five-race card after the chase track was deemed unraceable. Once it got underway, Willie Mullins proved utterly dominant, winning four of the five races including both Grade 1 races. Mullins was especially dominant in the Grade 1 Irish Daily Mirror War Of Attrition Novice Hurdle, saddling a 1-2-3 that was led home by the Paul Townend-ridden Marasonnien and even more remarkably, all three raced in the colours of Rich Ricci.
One of the clashes of the season took place on the third day of the Festival with the brilliant mare Quevega producing an electric performance to see off the game Voler La Vedette in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle. Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh, the eight-year-old travelled supremely well and while her main rival looked to be going just as well as her at the second-last flight, Quevega produced a telling turn of foot that saw her home by 5½ lengths.
Hurricane Fly was the star turn on the Friday of the Festival and he didn’t disappoint, with Willie Mullins’ stable star returning to winning ways in the Grade 1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the eight-year-old may not have been at his brilliant best, but he still ran out the comfortable 2½ lengths.
The rearranged thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup was the main event on the final day of the Punchestown Festival on Saturday and, not for the first time in recent seasons, it produced a shock result with China Rock prevailing at 20/1. Trained by Mouse Morris and ridden by Barry Geraghty, the nine-year-old travelled strongly and readily forged on from the final fence to record a five lengths success.
At the conclusion of the festivities, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney presented the end of season awards with Willie Mullins (Champion Trainer), Davy Russell (Champion Jockey) and J.P. McManus (Champion Owner) receiving the top awards. Mullins' son Patrick Mullins took the Champion Amateur Award, while Pat Mangan was crowned leading Conditional Rider.
