Danny Mullins has responded to his cousin Patrick Mullins' recent outburst after their explosive confrontation at Limerick racecourse. Patrick, the son of esteemed trainer Willie Mullins, has been referred to racing officials following his post-race comments.
The Incident
During the race, Patrick Mullins, riding Gaelic Warrior, secured victory in the Grade 1 Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase as the 4-7 favorite. However, the tension escalated when Danny Mullins, riding Il Etait Temps, attempted to cut down Patrick's inside at the two-fence mark. Patrick, aware of Gaelic Warrior's tendency to jump right, had specifically warned Danny not to go down his inside.
Patrick's Frustration
Expressing his frustration, Patrick stated, "I was trying to get a breather into my horse. I told Danny there will be a gap down my inner coming to the second last – do not come for it. He hasn't listened to me and luckily he hasn't got the two of us beaten. It didn't matter."
Danny's Response
As the Tote ambassador, Danny Mullins defended his actions, asserting, "It's one of those things – I'm always going to ride to win the race. I had a go and unfortunately I finished second – we had a go, that was the main thing."
Stewards' Intervention
Despite Danny's explanation, stewards deemed the incident serious enough to warrant further investigation. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) stewards' report stated, "Having considered all the evidence, the Raceday Stewards referred the matter to a Senior Racing Official."
Willie Mullins' Perspective
Willie Mullins, who witnessed the altercation while attending the Savills Chase at Leopardstown, humorously remarked, "It looked like they wanted to kill each other."
