Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary finally buries the hatchet with Willie Mullins SIX years after shock split
RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary has kissed and made up with Willie Mullins – six years after their shocking break-up.
O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud – best known for twice winning the Grand National with Tiger Roll – will have horses back with Ireland’s champion trainer.
Eddie O’Leary, the stud’s racing manager, told the Racing Post on Monday that the duo were back in business.
It comes almost six years to the day after they cut ties in a huge row over training fees.
O’Leary told the Racing Post: “It’s a long road that doesn’t turn!
“We’ve always been very, very friendly with Willie and that never changed over the last few years.
“We’re thrilled to have a couple of horses back with him.”
Shanbally Kid looks like being one of those potential superstars being sent to Closutton.
Pumped 30 lengths on debut at Thurles last February, the five-year-old gelding showed he had come on for the run when a convincing winner of a bumper at Clonmel in April.
The horse was bought a few days later for £190,000 by the all-conquering Mullins.
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He could be one of a typically strong contingent Mullins brings with him to Cheltenham Festival in March.
Mullins and the O’Learys split in September 2016 after a bust-up over training fees.
A Gigginstown statement at the time read: “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.”
Some of those top winners included ‘Queen of Gigginstown’ Apple’s Jade and two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Des Champs.
They combined for 17 Grade 1 wins in all and will have their eyes on a few more in the big jump meetings throughout the winter.
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