PUNTERS were ‘lost for words’ as a bitter disagreement between a racehorse trainer and her owner took a shock twist on social media.
Top Irish trainer Tony Mullins was devastated to see Princess Zoe leave his yard on Monday.
I thought Princess Zoe was going to stud but seemingly not pic.twitter.com/PvzqesjtJG
— Tony Mullins (@tonymullins84) May 8, 2023
Owner Kehoe, left, has taken the horse away from Mullins and sent her to a new trainer
But the sad tale took an unexpected twist when Mullins, brother of legendary Willie, revealed the eight-year-old mare was going to a new trainer.
Mullins, whose son Danny is a Cheltenham Festival-winning rider famed for his front-running rides on the likes of Flooring Porter, wrote: “I thought Princess Zoe was going to stud but seemingly not.”
Tony and Danny were at the centre of co-owner Paddy Kehoe’s outburst over the horse last March.
Kehoe claimed Tony gave Danny the wrong instructions when the grey ran in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The furious owner said Tony’s tweet explaining what happened was a ‘load of rubbish’.
And he added: “You did not give proper instructions to the jockey, who will never ride Zoe again.”
Tony turned Princess Zoe from a run-of-the-mill handicapper into a bona fide Group 1 winner, highlighted by her 2020 Prix Du Cadran victory worth £98,000.
The trainer clearly thought she was now off to become a successful broodmare – but was devastated to learn she is being moved to another yard.
Mullins told TDN Europe: “It’s terribly, terribly disappointing. I will never forget the mare. She is going to another trainer.
“Paddy bought out the other shareholder who disagreed with the decision.
“I had a connection with that mare that I don’t think I had with any other horse in my life.
“We’ll have to live with it now. It’s a tough one to take but I’ll never forget her.
“Paddy was adamant about forging out a hurdling career with her and he thought that Danny didn’t get on with her. I didn’t agree with either thing.
“I thought that, if she came around, there might be another Flat race in her.
“But, for me, persisting at hurdling is not something I could agree with.”
Tony’s tweet left his friends and followers in shock.
Respected fellow trainer Keri Brion wrote in reply: “I am so sorry. Greed is a horrible thing.”
Another post read: “You and your whole team gave that filly a remarkable career and life. Very sorry to see this.”
One comment read: “You don’t deserve that.”
While a tweet from another account said: “Lost for words. Just massively disappointed to hear this.”
Princess Zoe has won just shy of £500,000 from her 37 races under rules.
It is not yet clear who her new trainer will be.