Mr Mulligan (horse)
Mr Mulligan | |
---|---|
NH Rules) | |
Earnings | £212,552 |
Major wins | |
Towton Novices' Chase (1996) Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (1996) Cheltenham Gold Cup (1997) |
Mr Mulligan (15 April 1988 – 28 June 1999) was an Irish-bred, British-trained
Background
Mr Mulligan was a chestnut horse with a broad white
Mr Mulligan was a huge, awkward-looking horse. Richard Edmondson in The Independent wrote that he was "no oil painting, rather something a child might produce on the kitchen table with crayon", while the horse's owner described him as "a great orange thing".[3] Mr Mulligan appeared almost useless in training: according to Noel Chance, who trained him to his greatest success, he was an exceptionally lazy animal who only showed his best in a competitive race.[4]
Racing career
Point-to-point racing
Before running under official
Mr Mulligan was then sent to England to be trained professionally by Kim Bailey. In November 1994 Mr Mulligan had his first race under rules when he ran in a Novice chase at Newbury Racecourse. He went into a clear lead despite several jumping mistakes, but stumbled and fell at the eleventh fence.[6] Mr Mulligan sustained a serious neck injury in the fall[7] and did not race again for ten months.
1995/1996 season: novice chasing
Mr Mulligan's absence following his failure at Newbury meant that he began the 1995/1996 season as a novice, never having won a race under National Hunt rules. He was now trained by Noel Chance, who had become Worcester's private trainer at the Folly House stable in Lambourn. Mr Mulligan was ridden in five of his six races that season by Richard Johnson. He began in a Novices' hurdle race at Uttoxeter Racecourse in September. He led from the start and pulled away from the field to win by fifteen lengths, despite being eased by Johnson in the closing stages.[8] A month later he won a similar event at Wetherby, leading from the start and coming home thirteen lengths clear of Rye Crossing.[9]
In November, Mr Mulligan returned to larger obstacles for a Novice steeplechase at
Mr Mulligan's run of five victories made him an obvious choice for the
1996/1997 season: steeplechasing
Competing against experienced chasers in the 1996/1997 season, Mr Mulligan's first two runs were disappointing. He was made 2/1 favourite for the Rehearsal Handicap Chase at
Mr Mulligan's erratic performances and disrupted preparation saw him sent off a 20/1 outsider in the Gold Cup on 13 March. The field appeared to be a strong one, with the 1996 winner Imperial Call starting favourite ahead of One Man, Dorans Pride, Danoli, Nahthen Lad and Barton Bank. McCoy had Mr Mulligan among the leaders from the start before sending him to the front just after half way in the three and a quarter mile race. Mr Mulligan made a mistake at the fourth-last fence, but went clear of the field at the next and ran on strongly to win by nine lengths from Barton Bank and Dorans Pride.[16]
1997/1998 season: steeplechasing
Mr Mulligan made his first appearance since his Gold Cup win when he ran in the
Retirement
In early 1998 Mr Mulligan injured a tendon in training. Rather than have the horse fired and prepared for a comeback, Worcester decided to end the horse's career on a winning note and Mr Mulligan was retired from racing.[18]
Mr Mulligan was sent to spend his retirement at Worcester's Home Farm at
Pedigree
Sire Torus (GB) 1976 |
Ribero 1965 |
Ribot | Tenerani |
---|---|---|---|
Romanella | |||
Libra | Hyperion | ||
Weighbridge | |||
Lighted Lamp 1967 |
Sir Gaylord | Turn-To | |
Somethingroyal | |||
Chandelier | Goyama | ||
Queen of Light | |||
Dam Miss Manhattan (GB) 1972 |
Bally Joy 1961 |
Ballymoss | Mossborough |
Indian Call | |||
Gladness | Sayajirao* | ||
Bright Lady | |||
Sunbow 1961 |
Beau Sabreur | His Highness | |
Mashaq | |||
Saturnia | Sayajirao* | ||
Ringtime (Family 6-f) |
References
- ^ Hugh McMahon. "Mr Mulligan images". Sporthorse-data.com. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Tattersalls Ireland sales February 1992". Racing Post. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ a b Miller, Stephen (14 March 1997). "Mr Mulligan proves to be the real McCoy". The Independent. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ a b "There's still life after Mr Mulligan". Racing Post. 19 November 1998. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ "Maiden Point-to-point". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Oxfordshire Novices' Chase". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ISBN 1-84018-381-0.
- ^ "Green 'un Sports Final Novices' Hurdle". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Punch and Judy Novices' Hurdle". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Cross Foxes Novices' Chase". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Towton Novices' Chase". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ a b Johnson, Alex (15 February 1996). "Man enough but Mr Mulligan attracts all the sound-bites". The Independent. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ "Reynoldstown Novices' Chase". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Sun Alliance Chase". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ uk2.net. "Mary Bromiley the leading expert in equine physiotherapy and horse massage". Downs House Equine. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Cheltenham Gold Cup". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Sean Graham Chase". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Mr Mulligan". Famous Racehorses. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Gold Cup winner Mr Mulligan dead; Kick in paddock spells a sad end for 1997 hero". Racing Post. 1 July 1999. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ "Mr Mulligan pedigree". Equineline. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.