900 winners and counting for Patrick Mullins

Carlow amateur jockey Patrick Mullins reached a new milestone in his riding career when the 35-year-old son of legendary trainer Willie guided Jimmy de Seuil to a comfortable four-length winner in the SIS Supporting Irish Racing Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday last to bring up his 900th winner.

Mullins, who has been the champion amateur jockey in Ireland an incredible 17 times, has also ridden nine Cheltenham Festival winners, including bringing up a festival ton for his father when Jasmin De Vaux won the champion bumper back in 2024 - 16 years after riding his first on Cousin Vinny back in 2008.

2025 has already been a memorable year for the Closutton native after he won the Randox English Grand National aboard Nick Rockett back in April when he led home a 1-2-3 for Willie Mullins, who went on to win the English trainers’ championship for a second year running after another brilliant year across the water..

After having the chance to score his 900th success on Road To Rome at Doncaster the previous day, the father of one returned to Ireland, where he gave the Coral Cup winner at Cheltenham back in March, an ice-cool ride from the front to win for favourite backers at odds of 15/8 to bring up his latest achievement in the saddle.

Commenting afterwards on how much this means to him, Mullins said: “I wanted to have more winners than Willie, and he had 340 or 350, so we have done that anyway! It’s fantastic. I was at the Peter O’Sullevan lunch during the week, and I met Stan Mellor’s wife, Elain, who told me Stan was the first to get to 1,000, and he rode his last ever winner for my grandfather on Herring Gull in the Prix des Drags,” said the star amateur.

“I’m 35, and Willie rode till he was 40, and Derek (O’Connor) is 43, so hopefully I have a few more years. Hopefully I can get to 1,000. I usually ride between 30 and 40 winners a year, touch wood if everything goes well, so hopefully I can get there before I get to 40. I don’t know how many Irish riders have done it, it would be really cool to do it,”

Mullins paid tribute to the horse that gave him another chapter in his history books. “He has been lightly raced the past 18 months or so, and it was great to see him win the Coral Cup over hurdles back in March at the Festival.

“I spoke to Danny (Mullins) before the race because I hadn’t schooled him and he told me to be wary, but he jumped brilliantly. It looks like he might even be a better chaser than he was a hurdler.“He beat them easily. Nick Rockett and I Am Maximus got beaten in this beginner’s chase, and Impaire Et Passe won it. We always thought he was a Grade 1 horse and hopefully he can make into one.”

The latest milestone for Patrick comes after he recorded his first winner on the track when winning on Diego Garcia for his dad Willie at Limerick back in June, 2006. The winners flowed from then with his first Cheltenham Festival winner coming two years later on Cousin Vinny. He continued to chalk up winners including Brahma Bull (500th) in 2017, a record breaking 546th career winner on Queens Boulevard a year later before The Big Getaway brought him to 600 winners at Punchestown in 2019.

A 700th career winner came thanks to Seabank Bistro at Naas in 2022, a 800th aboard Luckinthecity at Listowel in 2023, before his latest success on Jimmy De Seuil for win 900 on Saturday, November 29, 2025.

The big question on everybodies lips now is Where will Patrick’s 1000th winner arrive we wonder?