Willie Mullins questions need for investigation over 'storm in a teacup' family spat at Limerick

Willie Mullins has questioned the need for comments made by his son Patrick in the aftermath of his spat with cousin Danny at Limerick on Thursday to be referred on for further investigation by the authorities.

The perennial champion amateur was seen animatedly admonishing Danny after he had won the Grade 1 Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase on Gaelic Warrior. Danny Mullins had been riding Il Etait Temps for the Closutton stable and made a move to go up Gaelic Warrior's inside after the odds-on favourite, who had American Mike outside him at the time, edged left off the bend as they turned to face the final two fences.

The winning rider subsequently told Racing TV that he had "told Danny going out that there will be a gap down my inside at the second-last, do not come for it. He hasn't listened to me. Luckily he hasn't got the two of us beat, but it didn't matter."

The perception of one rider dictating to another what to do in a race has led to many questioning the integrity of the situation, and the stewards on the day referred that aspect on to a senior official for further investigation.

Patrick Mullins (left) exchanges words with his cousin Danny after the lineCredit: Racing TV

Danny Mullins subsequently said on his Tote blog: "It's one of those things – I'm always going to ride to win the race. I had a go and unfortunately I finished second – we had a go, that was the main thing."

Speaking at Leopardstown on Friday, the trainer of the two horses played down the contretemps. "Lots of players say things to other players coming off the pitch and it never gets referred on. I don't know why this was," Mullins said. "It's a storm in a teacup as far as I'm concerned. Everyone's blood was up and it was probably Patrick's second most important ride over the Christmas period after Facile Vega. He was probably a bit disappointed because he was minding his Ps and Qs and gave him a brilliant ride, I thought, to win.

"Danny tried to win on his horse for his owner, he played the cards that he thought was best for him, that's about it. My two riders were doing their best and I'm sure American Mike was doing his best, and that was it. I didn't see anything wrong with it anyway."

He added: "I watched the race and I thought it was three top riders going down to the last two fences flat out, each one trying to win the race. I couldn't see anything wrong with it. The stewards looked at [the in-running incident] and saw nothing wrong with it either."

Ruby Walsh: "It's not a gallop in Closutton, it's a racecourse, every man for himself"Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Ruby Walsh later addressed the controversy in his role as a pundit on RTE television. He suggested he could relate to Patrick Mullins' direction to his cousin before the race, but he did not spare him for what unfolded thereafter.

"It's not a gallop in Closutton, it's a racecourse, every man for himself," Walsh said. "As regards what Patrick was saying, I know when I was riding Yorkhill I'd be lined up at the start and I'd say to the lads around me, 'This is going to go left, so you can line up on my inside if you want, but I will be going left because I'm not in control of it'.

"You would mark people's cards, but Danny was right – I wouldn't have listened to Patrick either. Go away! Do you think you own the place? I don't know how Patrick even thought he was going to listen to him. And, by the way, they are both Mullinses, so whatever you tell them, one was always going to do the opposite anyway! I mean he should have known his cousin better than he does."

When Barry Geraghty interjected that the Racing TV interview did not reflect well on Patrick, Walsh added: "And neither does Patrick's actions after the winning post. We were involved in plenty of incidents when we rode and you have to keep your temper under control. It's not always easy. I'm sure he regrets it, but you can't do that. He is champion amateur and he sets an example – it's not allowed."

Read these next:

'He hasn't listened to me' - angry Patrick Mullins has words with cousin Danny after incident at second-last fence 

Gaelic Warrior even-money favourite for the Turners after impressive Grade 1 win - but Patrick Mullins has Cheltenham doubts

'He put everything together out there' - Galopin Des Champs back to his best with 23-length win over Gerri Colombe in Savills Chase 

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