Patrick Mullins showcased his tactical brilliance at Limerick on Tuesday, steering 14-1 shot Of Land And Sea to a nine-length victory in the final bumper. The 36-year-old amateur jockey, son of trainer Willie Mullins and winner of last April's Grand National, took an outside booking on Paul Hennessy's five-year-old gelding.
From the outset, Mullins seized the initiative, guiding Of Land And Sea away from the heavy turf track onto the all-weather surface running parallel down the back straight. He rejoined the grass only to pass correctly through the wings of the removed hurdles, a manoeuvre he repeated on both circuits.
Former Grand National-winning jockey Daryl Jacob analysed the tactic on Racing TV, noting: 'All he is doing, he's going out onto the all-weather, he's coming back in between the wings of the last hurdle... There is absolutely no reason in the rule book to say that he can't do it. The amount of energy that horse has saved by going up on the all-weather track.'
Jacob added: 'It's good ground up there. They're all galloping on heavy ground and that is why he is a master and the artist of riding in bumpers... no stone is unturned.' Studio presenter Anthony Dunkley observed that riders behind were 'rowing away' on the second circuit, caught unawares by Mullins' energy-saving move.
The victory underscored Mullins' reputation as jump racing's premier amateur jockey, with Jacob concluding: 'It's all about knowing the courses and riding the course accordingly. He's an artist.'
