Gigginstown remove 60 horses from Mullins BY TONY MCFADDEN 1:00PM 28 SEP 2016 GIGGINSTOWN HOUSE STUD have removed around 60 horses from Willie Mullins after a disagreement about the Irish champion trainer raising his fees. Confirming the split with Gigginstown, founded by Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, Mullins said on At The Races: "Yes, we are parting company. It is basically over fees. I put my fees up for the first time in ten years. Gigginstown chose not to pay them. "I'm not willing to try to maintain the standards I have [without putting the fees up], so that's the way it is." Mullins admitted that the loss of such a large amount of horses, including Grade 1 winners such as Apple's Jade and Don Poli, will be a blow but was magnanimous and wished Gigginstown the best. "They will be very hard horses to replace. I don't know where they're going to go," Mullins said. "They [Gigginstown] have been great to us with some fantastic horses and we wish them all the best, but we move on." In reaction to the news, Paddy Power have pushed Mullins out to 3-1 from 6-4 to win the British champion trainers' title. Defending champion Paul Nicholls was slashed to 1-5 (from 4-7) by the firm. Gigginstown statement The decision to remove the horses from Mullins was taken "with condsiderable regret", according to a statement Gigginstown issued to RTÉ Sport. It read: "As Gigginstown House Stud has been unable to reach agreement with Willie Mullins on an increase in training fees, we have agreed - with considerable regret - to move the Gigginstown horses to alternative trainers for the coming 2016-17 season. "Gigginstown wishes to sincerely thank Willie and all the team at Closutton for the many Grade 1 races we have won together over the past seven years." The chance of a reunion between the two parties down the line was not ruled out, as the statement added: "We hope that an agreement can be reached at some time in the future which will allow Willie to resume buying and training more graded winners for us."
Rumour mill here suggests there is more to it than it first appears. Suggestions it may have something to do with the BHA's investigation into suspicious betting patterns around FAUGHEEN? Newmarket is always a hot bed of gossip, so I'm taking it with a pinch of salt for now.
It seems reasonable to raise fees after fixing them for 10 years, but O'Leary may feel he was paying enough anyway. Given the way he got rid of Davy Russell, he appears a bit of a hasty, bull-nosed character- prone to a headstrong reaction. However, since both parties are relatively wealthy, it's nonetheless surprising that no compromise was reached. Probably much more to it than meets the eye.
The sixty to be dispersed between Elliott,Meade,Morris JO'B (surprising) and Henry De Bromhead (great news for him after recently receiving a vote of no confidence from the Potties)
Hopefully Meade gets a good few, a very capable trainer and one whose had his fair share of loosing arguments with Eddie O'Leary over Road to Riches, same as Mouse with First Lieutenant. Interesting to see they've very much left the door open for a return. Eddie might be a stubborn, ignorant man but he's not quite a total idiot! The fact they've made the point of saying it's only for this season clearly indicates they hope to get back into Closutton at some future point.
I don't think it's likely to be pocket change that they were being asked to cough up. I have no idea what it costs to house a horse at Closutton but if we took the 18,000 that stick and don are paying Michael and increase it by ten percent you are talkind about 100,000 extra a year. I imagine it would cost multiples to get one into Willies. It may not be throwing the toys out of the pram for s**ts and giggles.
Can only be good for racing in Ireland, where both codes are utterly dominated by only two stables, the good horses need to be spread around. The field for the Beresford the other day was an absolute disgrace, Jessie Harrington 20/1 shot against 5 Obrien runners, in the last 40 years this race has been won only 15 times by someone without the surname Obrien. This wont change much but its a start.
I'm not a fan of Gordon Elliot, I don't believe he gets the best out of his horses and I certainly don't think he is the right man to be giving the extremely talented filly Apple's Jade to ...................... I can see him making a horlicks of that one for a start.
Interesting to read that Jospeh will be sent some horses too! And Henry De Bromhead will get a few too just what he needs after the fall out in his yard this week
Here's a survey carried out by the ROA in 2010 into training fees costs in the Uk. Apply a bit of inflation and assume Mullins' is computable to the "top" UK trainers and it soon adds up.
I think it's great to see good horses move around to different yards and can only improve the competitiveness in Irish jump racing. Add in the new face of Joseph O'Brien (he will become a force) and it adds some interest to those that feel it's too easy for Master Mullins. Paddy Power actually have Elliott as fav to win the trainer's title, streuth on a stick Reading a few comments on here it sounds like the fella couldn't train ivy up a wall but I think he's won a fair few nice pots for one training little over a decade, numerous Cheltenham Festival races, a Gold Cup and a Grand National, it's not a bad CV in fairness! He does exceptionally well in handicaps. This news following on so soon from the Tizzard chap getting a nice lorryload full of horses can also make the English scene more competitive too and hopefully he'll not be a million miles away come the end. You often here of Mullins dominating Irish racing but please don't forget Nicholls has won 9 out of the last 10 titles over there...
Elliot is very shrewd. I think he was once borderline Tony Martin material but for the most part he has went down a straighter path albeit without doubting he does still "get one lined up" as they say. He's grown on me over recent years and I respect him as a trainer.
She'd be right up my list too, a lovely lady. If Giggy had any sense they'd be sending her Apples Jade with one word of instruction, 'Arkle' Mind you what we're going to see from Our Duke this season, she mightn't need any help from Gigginstown to win it
Out of all the horses Mullins has lost you could really count on one hand the ones he'll really miss by which I mean ones that could win festival Grade Ones. I saw a list earlier and there were plenty of nice horses but nearly everyone has been beaten by what you'd call the Mullins A team at some point. The ones I'd be keenest on are Apples Jade, (who is totally being wasted going Champion Hurdle as she won't be beating Faugheen or Annie P) and Blow by Blow. Sadly for the want of spreading them around Elliott is the beneficiary of the top ones, the other trainers are really getting a load of 3m handicap chasers and some nice novice hurdle prospects.
