Tag Archive for: seamus mullins

Plumpton specialist I See You Well hunting Sussex National crown

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Course specialist I See You Well is out to back up his recent Plumpton win and execute a long-term plan in the Sky Sports Racing Sussex National on Sunday.

The Seamus Mullins-trained I See You Well has won four of his five chase outings at the West Sussex track, including a five-length success last time in a slightly lower grade, over an extended three miles and one furlong.

Up 5lb to a mark of 124, the just-turned nine-year-old will face 15 rivals over an extended three-and-a-half-mile trip and the Salisbury handler says the distance will hold no fears.

Mullins said: “He likes it down at Plumpton all right, doesn’t he? It was a good run last time.

“For a staying chaser he is at the peak of his career at his age.

“He always looked like a horse who needed anything north of three miles. He is in good form and came out of his last race well. He will go on any ground other than fast ground.

“This was a race we have earmarked from the beginning of the year. We have tried to build him up towards this and we are hoping for a very good run.”

David Pipe is represented by five runners – Al Roc, Via Dolorosa, Abaya Du Mathan, El Paso Wood and D’Jango – all owned by Judith Wilson and all relative newcomers to the yard.

“They all have bits and pieces of form over a trip. We haven’t had them too long,” said Pipe.

David Pipe has a strong team for the Sussex National
David Pipe has a strong team for the Sussex National (David Davies/PA)

Tom Scudamore sticks with D’Jango, who was fourth of five to Butterwick Brook on his stable and British debut at Wincanton.

Pipe added: “D’Jango ran well at Wincanton. He will appreciate the step up in trip and softer ground.”

El Paso Wood unseated in the Becher Chase at Aintree on his British debut before beaten seven lengths in a novices’ handicap chase at Ffos Las.

“El Paso Wood ran a decent race at Ffos Las and will appreciate the step up in trip,” said Pipe.

“Abaya Du Mathan we are still learning about and it is the same with Al Roc. The trip might just stretch Via Dolorosa a little bit. He ran a nice race in the Grand Sefton at Aintree, but didn’t get that far in the Becher Chase (going well when unseated at the 12th fence).

“Scu has gone for D’Jango, so hopefully that is our best one.”

Chris Gordon is the other trainer with multiple runners, saddling both Blame The Game – a well-held sixth to I See You Well last time – and Go Whatever, who was third in the same race.

Gordon said: “Both have got visors on for the first time.

“They both lack a bit of concentration at times, but both are fit and well and I’d like to think they could both run very well.”

Colin Tizzard has won this race three times with Jeremy Spider (2003), Ironside (2008) and Christmas In April (2020), with the latter bidding to land the race again off an 11lb higher mark than when previously successful.

Other rivals include the Lucy Wadham-trained Eclair Du Guye, who was third in the London National at Sandown, and the Emma Lavelle-trained Pemberley, who got off the mark over fences at the fourth attempt at Warwick following a couple of near misses.

Nolan suffers back injuries in Southwell fall

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Micheal Nolan is set to have surgery today after suffering back injuries in a fall at Southwell.

The jump jockey fractured his T5 and T6 vertebrae and broke several ribs when taking a nasty tumble from the Seamus Mullins-trained Ardbruce at the second fence in the Southwell Handicap Chase over two miles on Monday.

He was treated on track and then taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham for further assessment. Nolan was conscious and complaining of chest pains.

“X-rays show the fracture in T5 and T6 which they are going to operate on this afternoon and stabilise,” said Mullins.

“They found the uppermost rib was broken as well, which was giving him the chest pain. His lungs were OK.

“He’ll be in hospital a few days post op and he should be out by the weekend at the latest.

“The prognosis is pretty good. Yes, he’ll be out for an extended period, but everything is moving and he said he was feeling quite comfortable this morning. He’ll be fine long-term.

“I’ve spoken to him this morning and he’s in good spirits.”

Late call sees Plumpton given go-ahead 20 minutes before racing

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Plumpton’s effort to stage racing after a sharp overnight frost was rewarded after three inspections just 20 minutes before the start of the first race on Monday.

Trainers and jockeys were split 70/30 in favour of the decision to go ahead. Although temperatures rose to 6C, opinion was divided about an area on the far side on the hurdles track which some felt was too bare. However, most of the riders described the going as “tacky but safe to race.”

But one trainer completely happy in more than one way was Seamus Mullins, who took Sheldon out of the opener but was comfortable to allow I See You Well (3-1) to participate in the Buy The Plumpton History Book Now Handicap Chase.

Kevin Jones clear the last fence on their way to winning the Buy The Plumpton History Book Now Handicap Chase
I See You Well (left) and Kevin Jones clear the last fence on their way to winning the Buy The Plumpton History Book Now Handicap Chase (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The course specialist overcame a mistake three out to rally and deny Cheque En Blanc by half a length under Kevin Jones, with Young Turk a further length and a half behind.

Mullins said: “Mark Cornford (clerk of the course) and the executive have made the right call to race. I walked the course four times and only pulled mine out of the first because he’s a nice horse and I wanted to be perfectly happy that it was OK.

“Kevin missed the third-last, otherwise it would have been more straightforward. As Kevin said it’s dead ground, as you would expect for Plumpton in January.”

Nicky Henderson’s withdrawal of Ahorsewithnoname in the opening Strong Flavours Catering Maiden Hurdle meant a total of seven scratchings for the race – six of them on account of the ground, with favourite Natural History already in the paddock when Gary Moore took him out.

Moore said: “I was quite happy to run but fully understand that the owner wasn’t, as he lost a horse here last season. As far as I’m concerned the ground is fine.”

The race went to Khan (5-1), who under Harry Reed outstayed long-time leader John Betjeman by half a length.

His trainer Milton Harris said: “He won a Group One at Cologne and was sourced by Christian Von Der Recke, who finds a few for me. He’s still an entire and this will have done him the power of good.”

Trainer Charlie Longsdon
Trainer Charlie Longsdon (David Davies/PA)

But there was an unfortunate incident at the fourth flight where Glass Of Bubbles was fatally injured, with his jockey, 5lb claimer Tom Buckley, appearing to escape serious injury.

The four-year-old’s trainer Charlie Longsdon said: “It was one of those horrible things that can happen in racing.

“Luckily, Tom is all right. That’s the most important thing. He got knocked out, but he’s OK.

“They had a lot of inspections, but they obviously deemed it was fit to race. It’s one of those things, it’s horrible, but it happens.”

The Moore stable enjoyed a winner with Zhiguli, who always travelled best under Niall Houlihan in the Download The tote App Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Niall Houlihan and Zhiguli clears the final flight on the way to winning the Download The tote App Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton
Niall Houlihan and Zhiguli clears the final flight on the way to winning the Download The tote App Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The 5-4 favourite readily pulled four and a quarter lengths and a head clear of Poker Play and Northern Poet.

The West Sussex trainer said: “He’s a horse I like a lot and is improving with age. He will have to step up (in class) now as the handicapper will have his say.”

Houlihan completed a double with a poignant success on Mr Jack (3-1) in the Strong Flavours Catering Handicap Hurdle.

The nine-year-old had won over the course and distance three weeks ago the day his trainer Zoe Davison sadly died after a long illness. Her husband Andy Irvine took over the running of the East Grinstead yard and this was his first winner.

Mr Jack on his way to landing an emotional success in the Strong Flavours Catering Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton
Mr Jack on his way to landing an emotional success in the Strong Flavours Catering Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“It really is an emotional time. We buried Zoe yesterday. It was a difficult day and a lovely day at the same time,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“We brought her home and she’s buried on the gallops where she wanted to be buried so we had a nice service up there with the family. It was really special.

“This means the world to everybody. This horse has been great for us and he’s done it well in the end.”

Sean Houlihan and En Coeur jump the final fence in style to land the Visit attheraces.com Novices’ Handicap Chase at Plumpton
Sean Houlihan and En Coeur jump the final fence in style to land the Visit attheraces.com Novices’ Handicap Chase at Plumpton (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Houlihan’s brother, Sean, got in on the act when steering En Coeur (11-4) home to give Mullins a brace in the Visit attheraces Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Mullins said: “He has a history of wind problems, but is getting his confidence now and enjoying his racing.”

Conditional Lewis Stones had an armchair ride on 1-8 favourite African Dance in the tote.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle, in which the three runners jumped one hurdle twice, the others having been removed due to low sun.