Mullins loses Gigginstown team -
- (September 28th 2016)
Willie Mullins says around 60 Gigginstown-owned horses are leaving his yard this morning after a dispute over training fees.
Named champion owners in Irish jumps racing for the fourth time back in April, the Gigginstown operation - which is backed by Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary - owned a host of stars among the Mullins team, including the likes of last crack staying steeplechaser Don Poli and exciting hurdle Apple's Jade.
But Gigginstown have never been afraid to keep things moving and having removed their horses with other trainers such as Tony Martin and Sandra Hughes in May, their horses with Mullins, believed to number around 60, will now also be racing for other stables from this point.
"Yes, we're parting company, just basically over fees, I would imagine," Mullins told At The Races.
"I've just put up my fees for the first time in 10 years and Gigginstown chose not to... well... pay.
That's it. We're just parting company. I'm not willing to try and maintain the yard and the standards I have for... you know, that's the way it is.
"Everyone who comes into my yard is treated the same and that's it. You know, I see enough people going to the wall in Ireland all the time. We have our methods of training which cost a lot and we're not prepared to sacrifice that.
"I'm happy to wrap it up at that. They've been very good to us over the years. Somebody is going to get some fantastic horses. It's only been in the last few hours that this has come about and that's the way it is - that's all I'm prepared to say.
"They're very hard horses to replace. Even with all the money in the world, you can't replace them. Lots of people try to buy horses like that but they don't always come together. We put together a fantastic team, me and Michael O'Leary, but that's it - they're there for someone else to train and we move on."
In response, the owners issued a statement to RTE Sport, saying the move had come "with condsiderable regret" and leaving the door open for a possible reconciliation.
It said: "As Gigginstown House Stud has been unable to reach agreement with Willie Mullins on an increase in training fees, we have agreed - with considerable regret - to move the Gigginstown horses to alternative trainers for the coming 2016-17 season.
"Gigginstown wishes to sincerely thank Willie and all the team at Closutton for the many Grade 1 races we have won together over the past seven years.
"We hope that an agreement can be reached at some time in the future which will allow Willie to resume buying and training more graded winners for us."
Bookmakers reacted by slashing the price of Paul Nicholls to retain his UK trainers' championship title. He is now a 1/3 chance from 4/5 with Sky Bet, whose spokesman Michael Shinners said: "It's going to be fascinating as to where these horses end up now, with Gordon Elliott a possible beneficiary, but in the meantime it's clear that Willie Mullins won't have quite the same resources at his disposal this year if he intends to target the championship he so nearly clawed away from Nicholls at Sandown last season."