Home Horse Racing Princess Zoe (GER) and the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap

From training a very small string of horses in the shadows of leafy Gowran Park racecourse in County Kilkenny, Tony Mullins has found himself in the desert environs of Riyadh where his stable star Princess Zoe (GER) contests the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap.

The Mullins family are a racing dynasty in Ireland with their roots firmly in jump racing, and while the initial expectation may have been for Princess Zoe to go jumping, that plan most certainly changed as she rocketed up through the ranks of Flat racing’s staying division. 

For Mullins, the entire experience has been slightly surreal but one he has very much embraced as Princess Zoe’s progress and preparations are constantly charted on his Twitter account.

“I know how much I love her but I just can’t believe how popular she is with everybody else,” Mullins says of the Jukebox Jury-sired seven-year-old’s adoring supporters from far and wide. 

The journey has involved Mullins winning a Group 1 – the 2020 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp – with Princess Zoe, and only just being denied a second by the best stayer in the world at the time, Subjectivist, in last June’s Ascot Gold Cup. 

It was that run at Royal Ascot on fast ground that told Mullins he had a mare who could literally travel around the world, as his fears of her not being able to act as well on a quicker surface were allayed by her wellbeing immediately after the race.

Now in Riyadh, Princess Zoe’s story continues, and Mullins is almost pinching himself.

“For a stable like ours to have a star like this who keeps doing it for us… I think it might take Shakespeare to put it into words properly. It’s just unbelievable.”

And Mullins is not in Saudi Arabia just to make up the numbers. Her last run in the 2021 Prix du Cadran didn’t finish as connections would have hoped, but there was plenty of encouragement to take from so much of the race.

“Going to the Prix du Cadran last year, the day she was fifth, that is when she was at her best,” Mullins reflects. “She came down to the last bend that day on the bridle and I was so disappointed after the race because everything had gone perfectly until we got to that last bend.

“She did come home a little lame and we believe that something happened on the last bend. If she runs like she was training going into the Cadran, and her run in the Ascot Gold Cup obviously, we have a real live chance and that is very exciting for us.”

Mullins, who trains no more than a dozen horses, often calls on his brother Willie, Ireland’s record-breaking perennial champion jumps trainer, to allow him to gallop Princess Zoe with some of his high-class string, and it’s a system that works. 

He says: “It can be a little awkward when I want to give Princess Zoe some work as we don’t have the horses to work with her, but I often bring her to Willie’s and we are able to work it out. It does work and if anyone was to give me another one like her we’d be able to work that out too!”

At home in Ireland, Mullins is part of racing folklore through his association with Dawn Run, a famous mare trained by his father, Paddy, who won both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. 

Mullins partnered Dawn Run to 15 of her 21 victories, but the pressure of overseeing Princess Zoe’s campaign trumps that of riding Ireland’s most famous mare. 

“The responsibility was my father’s that time and I just had to sit up on Dawn Run, and I was always confident about that,” Mullins says.

“Now with my first real really good horse on the world stage I am nervous about this. It is a huge responsibility to get everything right and I’d rather be the jockey,” he jokes. 

If Princess Zoe wins the prize on Saturday, even Shakespeare might struggle to capture this story in full. 

You may also like

logo-white

Your Trusted Source for Capital Markets & Related News

Latest Articles

© 2024 LiveTradingNews.com – For The Traders, By The Traders – All Right Reserved.

The information contained on this website shall not be construed as (i) an offer to purchase or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell, any securities or services, (ii) investment, legal, business or tax advice or an offer to provide such advice, or (iii) a basis for making any investment decision. An offering may only be made upon a qualified investor’s receipt not via this website of formal materials from the Knightsbridge an offering memorandum and subscription documentation (“offering materials”). In the case of any inconsistency between the information on this website and any such offering materials, the offering materials shall control. Securities shall not be offered or sold in any jurisdiction in which such offer or sale would be unlawful unless the requirements of the applicable laws of such jurisdiction have been satisfied. Any decision to invest in securities must be based solely upon the information set forth in the applicable offering materials, which should be read carefully by qualified investors prior to investing. An investment with Knightsbridge is not suitable or desirable for all investors; investors may lose all or a portion of the capital invested. Investors may be required to bear the financial risks of an investment for an indefinite period of time. Qualified investors are urged to consult with their own legal, financial and tax advisors before making any investment. Knightsbridge is a private investment firm that offers investment services to Qualified Investors, Members and Institutions ONLY. Qualified Investors are defined as individuals who have met those Qualifications in the relevant jurisdictions. Members are defined as individuals who have been accepted into the Knightsbridge membership program. Institutions are defined as entities such as banks, pension funds, and hedge funds. If you are not a Qualified Investor, Member or Institution, you are not eligible to invest with Knightsbridge. All investments involve risk, and there is no guarantee of profit. You may lose some or all of your investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Knightsbridge is not a registered investment advisor, and this disclaimer should not be construed as investment advice. Please consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. By accessing this website, you agree to the terms of this disclaimer. Thank you for your interest in Knightsbridge.
CLOSE