Grade 1 racing success for Mullins and O’Brien over busy Christmas period

For the second Christmas period on the trot, the success of the Willie Mullins stable maybe fell a bit below the usual expectations for the Closutton battalion.

The Kilkenny trainer saddled nine winners in total and while it was more than the seven in 2024, it wasn’t quite the heights that we have come to expect from the multiple champion trainer.

While it may not have been a stellar Christmas numerically for the Mullins team, they still came home with three Grade 1 victories between Leopardstown, Limerick and Kempton as Lossiemouth, Final Demand and Kitzbuhel all claimed victories at the top level.

The talented youngster Kitzbuhel got the ball rolling across the water on St Stephen’s Day as he produced a majestic front-running display to land the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park.

Kitzbuhel showed his rivals no mercy with the speed, accuracy and relentlessness of his jumping from the front proving too much for his opposition as he prevailed under the guidance of Paul Townend.

The Joe and Marie Donnelly owned 5 year-old now looks primed for a shot at the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival where he’s likely to be joined by fellow stablemate Final Demand who continued his unblemished record over fences when taking the feature Grade 1 Guinness 00 Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick over the shorter trip of 2m5f.

In a small field of five, Willie’s son Patrick took the mount and while he was challenged briefly by Gold Dancer coming round the bend, once the taps were turned on there was no looking back as the 1-3 favourite coasted to an eight length success.

Final Demand is now no bigger than evens for his March festival target and Patrick was wholesome in his praise afterwards.

“I wanted to be going a stride faster all the way because I thought Jimmy Du Seuil might be a faster horse, but he was just lairy in front. I think in a more competitive race, he’ll travel better. He was so lazy today, which is great. The Brown Advisory at Cheltenham would look ideal.”

At senior level, there was a welcome return to the track of dual Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs as he finished a gallant third in the Savills Chase while Lossiemouth ended the week in style for the Mullins team with a win in the December Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott had a sensational week at the Dublin venue and when his stable star Brighterdaysahead loomed alongside the talented mare, a grandstand finish resulted but Lossiemouth showed her fight as she battled to a ninth Grade 1 success and a 13th win in total throughout her career and she’s now as short as 7-2 for the Champion Hurdle.

Away from Mullins, there was also Grade 1 glory for Joseph O’Brien after Solness won the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase for the second year on the trot as he held off Queen Mother Champion chase winner Marine Nationale in a thrilling finale.

Sam Ewing came in for the spare ride in place of the injured JJ Slevin as the Kilkenny-based trainer continues to excel on two fronts.