Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 31 August 2026

Life is never dull when you’ve got people like Emmet Mullins around.

I say ‘like’, but I’m not actually sure there is anyone around who is quite like him.

What makes him different is the unconventional way in which he places a horse before their main target.

Of course this doesn’t apply to every horse in his yard, but a look back at some of his big-race winners reflects a highly original approach to their preparation.

The most recognised example was, of course, his 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats, who became the first seven-year-old to win the race since Bogskar in 1940 and the first novice to win since 1958.

The following season he landed the Cesarewitch with The Shunter, who hadn’t been seen since finishing fourth of six over an extended mile and a half at Gowran Park in August.

Last season he took the Irish Grand National with Soldier In Milan, who had run just four times over fences having bypassed a hurdling campaign.

The seven-year-old won that race by 16 lengths, resulting in a 15lbs rise in his rating from 142 to 157.

In the cases of Noble Years and Soldier In Milan they won two of the season’s most competitive handicap chases despite their lack of experience.

They did, though, turn out to have many pounds in hand and so didn’t need to come under serious pressure.

It is in the light of this remarkable trainer’s modus operandi that I noted the background and performance of Winday, a three-year-old son of Galiway owned by Paul Byrne, when he appeared in a 1m 4f maiden at Ffos Las last week.

Relatively weak in the market, drifting out from 4/5 to 11/8, he needed plenty of cajoling before pulling six lengths clear from the 86-rated Blue Hercules, so running to a mark in the mid-90s.

Winday has an interesting profile.

He ran three times as a two-year-old, on the first occasion making late headway when beaten 11 and a half lengths in an extended 1m maiden at Galway in August. The winner was Action, with Christmas Day in third.

Just over four weeks later he ran a blinder, staying on to finish third to Endorsement and Limestone in a 1m 1f maiden at Tipperary, with Christmas Day almost four lengths behind him in fifth. Those around him are now rated 117, 107 and 105.

His third run as a two-year-old came in a valuable 1m conditions contest at Longchamp in October but he dropped away, having been in the middle of the pack, to finish 14th of 16, beaten just over 20 lengths by the winner.

The horse’s first two runs established that he had a decent level of ability but he then took an unexpected turn and ran three times over hurdles in France, in the same colours, for the Lamorlaye-based trainer Mickael Seror.

He showed plenty of ability, finishing second of 13 on his debut in April then fourth in a Grade 3 contest in May and finally third, beaten just two and a quarter lengths, in a Listed race, all at Auteuil.

Winday appears to have received a BHA rating on the flat of just 87, which is lenient given that he beat an 86-rated horse by six lengths at Ffos Las.

His name initially appeared in the Cesarewitch entries but it was then removed, possibly because he is not qualified to run in it.

Winday is eligible for a handicap mark over jumps if that is the route they want to take.

However, he was given an entry today for the 2026 Melbourne Cup, further underlining what a bold trainer Mullins is when it comes to campaigning his horses.

He has all the hallmarks of another potential plot for his owner. This is a very versatile young horse.

Bye for now

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