Willie Mullins begins season with Ballinrobe double

Recently crowned UK and 17-times Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins set the ball rolling on another jumps' season today when completing a double at Ballinrobe, as Sorrentino (4/6f) impressively won the Harrington Concrete & Quarries Bumper.

On the second day of the new season, Mullins' first runner of the campaign was earlier Ballinrobe winner Supersundae while keen-going Sorrentino was safely steered to a wide-all-the-way victory under the trainer's son, and now 16-times champion amateur jockey, Patrick Mullins.

Mullins junior quipped “I'd say Ballylinch (Stud, owner/breeders) don't have many six-year-olds!

"He's obviously had a good bit of trouble - little niggly issues, nothing major, but sometimes when they get to his age they're stronger horses.

“I think he's only eighty per cent ready there and we weren't training him hard, as we just wanted to get him to the track. We took the very safety-first route (on the outer) there and it didn't matter.

"Obviously with his pedigree (by New Bay) he could go back to the Flat so that's an option. I'd love for him to win a winners' bumper, we'll see what's there, and he has the size and scope to jump hurdles. There's lots of options but there's a big engine there if we can keep the chassis in one piece."

Quotes from Mark Nunan