To say that the promising young Flat jockey Danny Mullins hails from a strong racing background would be an understatement. Indeed, it would be more appropriate to say he is the latest member of a racing dynasty that has been omnipresent on the Irish racing scene for many decades.
Principal Trainers: Jim Bolger
Notable Wins:
- Galway Mile (Rock And Roll Kid 2009)
- Guinness Handicap (Glitter Baby 2008)
- Stillorgan Handicap (Reload 2008)
- Boylesports Daily Cashbacks Handicap (Teacht An Earraig 2008)
His late grandfather, Paddy Mullins, is a member of the Irish racing Hall Of Fame, having plied his trade as a trainer for over 50 years with great success, with arguably his most famous charge being the legendary Dawn Run. Two of Danny’s uncles, Willie and Tom Mullins, are highly-successful trainers as well, with the former being the reigning Champion National Hunt Trainer. His father, Tony Mullins, is also a successful trainer, having saddled Pedrobob to win at the Cheltenham Festival in 2007, and his mother, Mags, is another successful member of the training ranks. In addition to this, two of his close cousins, Patrick and Emmett Mullins, have recently stamped themselves as promising young jockeys, with the former being a multiple Champion Amateur Jockey.
Early Days
In common with many current riding stars, Mullins learned his trade on pony racing scene, riding no less than 126 winners. Such was the impact he made on that circuit, he and his family took the brave decision for him to leave school at the age of 15 and sign up as an apprentice with Jim Bolger, who has tutored the likes of Tony McCoy, Mick Kinane and Paul Carberry in the early stages of their careers.
A First Season To Remember
Bolger wasted no time in unleashing his young prodigy on the racecourse, giving him his first ride only a couple of weeks after he turned 16 on Malande at Gowran Park on May 18th 2008. While he failed to make the frame on that occasion, he would go on to make one of the most immediate impacts of any apprentice in recent seasons, riding a remarkable four winners from his first six rides in public including a comfortable success in a premier handicap at the Curragh on the Bolger-trained Teacht An Earraig. It was another three weeks before he added to his tally, but when he did he gained two wins in as many days, with the highlight coming on Reload, who is trained by his uncle Tom Mullins, on whom he won a handicap at Gowran Park. Mullins continued his electric start to his career into the month of July, winning on the Bolger-trained Emy Bright in a handicap at Leopardstown, on the Tommy Stack-trained Nubar Lady in a conditions race at Dundalk and on the Frank Ennis-trained Barack in the first nursery of the season at the Curragh. Just three days later, he secured a notable family success when gaining an even bigger win on Reload in a premier handicap at Leopardstown.
However, as satisfying as that win was for sentimental reasons, Danny will probably have to wait some time before he betters the day he had on the Friday of the Galway Festival. He opened his account on his uncle Tom’s Cristal Island in the juvenile auction maiden before gaining a notable win on the Paul Cashman-trained Glitter Baby in the valuable Guinness Handicap. If that wasn’t good enough, he went on to complete a memorable treble on the Mick Quinlan-trained Metal Madness in the 8f handicap. If anyone had not heard of this young prodigy before that day, they certainly knew exactly who he was after such a memorable performance at a meeting that was televised live on RTE. Later than month, Danny rode his first winner for his father Tony, recording a facile success on Rock And Roll Kid in a handicap at the Curragh and the following month he gained a second win on that horse when winning a similar event at the Curragh in good style. Despite taking 140 less rides than that season’s Champion Apprentice Emmet McNamara, Mullins finished the campaign just seven winners behind that rival in what was a highly-satisfying first campaign.
Another Successful Campaign
Mullins’ first full campaign in 2009 unsurprisingly proved to be a successful one. Despite a slightly slow start to the term, from May onwards he maintained a remarkably consistent run of success through each and every month. While big-race successes were not plentiful, when one eventually came along, it was very much worth the wait. Riding his father’s Rock And Roll Kid in the highly-valuable Galway Mile at the Galway Festival in July, Mullins’ gave his mount a no-nonsense ride on his way to recording a comfortable two lengths success. It was obviously a very emotional family success and Tony Mullins rated it as one of his most memorable days in racing. At the conclusion of the campaign, Mullins had ridden an excellent tally of 29 winners, which saw him finish third in the race for the title of Champion Apprentice.
A Dual-Purpose Jockey
Unsurprisingly given his pedigree, in December 2009 Danny Mullins began to ride over hurdles. While he didn’t manage to win a race during a light winter campaign, he did show plenty of promise. Unfortunately, when riding at the Punchestown Festival, Mullins took a fall and suffered a broken collarbone and thumb. Once recovered from those injuries. Mullins soon returned to winning ways back on the Flat and enjoyed a successful summer in that sphere. Unfortunately, injury once again struck in September, with Mullins breaking his arm in a fall over hurdles at the Listowel Harvest Festival. While that injury finished off his Flat campaign, but he can look forward to getting off the mark over jumps in the weeks ahead.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
